Tax Fed: Taxpayers should be priority

by Wayne Moore - Kelowna - CASTANET Aug 1, 2013 / 5:00 am
The BC Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it's time municipalities and unions worked together to lessen the impact on taxpayers.  Jordon Bateman, says because of union contracts, municipalities are paying much more for certain positions compared to those in the private sector.  Bateman cited several examples including a lifeguard posting from the City of Kelowna.  "In Kelowna, the city was offering new lifeguards $20.95 plus 14 per cent in lieu of benefits, a total of $23.88 per hour says Bateman.  "The same lifeguard job at the Kelowna YMCA-YWCA pays $14.50 per hour. Kelowna taxpayers are overpaying the Y by 65 per cent."  Bateman says examples are repeated over and over again in city halls across the province.  He cited examples from other municipalities including Burnaby (bartender position) and Richmond (arena concession worker).  "There is hope but it takes political will."  That will says Bateman proved successful in Penticton after they completed a core services review in 2010.  He says that review revealed, among other things, the city was overpaying lifeguards and park maintenance staff.  "City lifeguards made $22.80 per hour while private lifeguards made $14.50. Parks staff also made $22.80 per hour compared to $14 in the private sector."  Bateman says the when the city's CUPE contract came up for e-negotiation, Penticton managed to negotiate down the starting rate for these positions, and jail guards, by nearly $5 per hour.  He called it a big step forward.  Bateman says other people need to look at the Penticton example.  "Don't be afraid to get tough in negotiating with current workers. Current workers to protect their own benefits have shown time and again that they are more than willing to throw future employees under the bus," says Bateman.  "There is an opportunity to start whittling down the pay but you have to do it at the front end, you can't expect to do it at the back end."  He says municipalities need to start the dialogue with the union and the public now, not when bargaining begins.  "No one wants labour disruptions and no one wants bloody battles between municipal halls and unions but frank conversations about tax levels and the fact it's pretty expensive to employ people," says Bateman.  He says those conversations need to take place regularly.