News Briefs

Toronto Transit Drivers Nearly Essential

Provincial assent still lacking

The board of the Toronto Transit Commission has endorsed Mayor Rob Ford’s call to declare the service’s 10,000 unionized workers essential. The motion is not final, as action at the provincial level would be required before the essential-services designation was effective.

President Bob Kinnear of Local 113 of the Amalgamated Transit Union challenged the history of labour disputes in the city with the sponsors of the motion, claiming that there had been only 13 days of lost service in 30 years. City councillors claimed the more accurate figure was 100 days with some degree of slowdown. However, an essential services designation would not preclude the union from working to rule. In the Toronto Star, Kinnear predicted that making his members essential would, paradoxically, generate more work-to-rule disruptions and complicate negotiations. He also suggested that, if bus drivers are felt to be essential to public safety, that they be paid similar salaries to police and firefighters.

Broadcast Employees Take Long Contract

Job security, pre-retirement leave in deal

The 550 employees of Radio-Canada in the Province of Quebec and Moncton, New Brunswick voted 95 per cent in favour of a five-year agreement with 1.5 per cent wage increases in the first two years and re-openers in the final three. Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), they now also can reduce their workweek by 50 per cent during the final two to six months before retirement. An optional week of unpaid vacation has been added. Finally, the union will be provided statistics for contract employees, allowing it to better support proposals for new, permanent jobs.

“Framework of Fairness” Agreements Pass

Earlier tentative agreements rejected

Employees of three Ontario auto parts plants owned by Magna International voted 83 per cent on December 14 to ratify new three-year collective agreements under the “Framework of Fairness” with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW). The three sites, Windsor Modules, Mississauga Seating and Qualtech Seating in London, had all rejected tentative agreements last fall (see LVI 3924, November 22, 2010). Windsor Modules employees will receive 75¢ per hour in the first year and the other two units signing bonuses; all three will enjoy a COLA for the term of the agreement.

And, at another Magna operation, Integram in Windsor, a 78 per cent ratification vote took place in November. It provides a $1,500 signing bonus in two installments and a COLA effective in the second year. Job security was also negotiated.

Cable Technicians Get 15.5 per Cent

Job security improved with full-time employment

The 600 employees of Cogeco Cable based in Trois-Rivières, Rimouski and throughout eastern Quebec voted on December 13 to accept a six-year contract with wage increases of 15.5 per cent over the term. The members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) will see increased job security through the creation of 100 full-time jobs. Grievance and arbitration procedures were also tightened.

Gender Wage Gap Shrinks

Lower male wages in low-paying jobs contributed

A study to be published in the spring 2011 edition of Statistics Canada’s Perspectives on Labour and Income shows that the hourly wages of men and women are becoming closer, but the reasons are not all positive.

Between 1990 and 2009, the number of working women with a degree increased from 15.7 per cent to 29.3 per cent, beating men at 25.3 per cent. Also, the “tenure gap” in the number of months men and women had been working in the same job, shrank from 33.1 months to 6.7 months.

However, between 1988 and 2008, real hourly wages increased much faster for women than for men at all ages. In fact, for men between 35 and 54, real wages fell. One of the primary reasons for this is that employment in male-dominated occupations — manufacturing, for example — has fallen while employment in female-dominated occupations — nursing and teaching — has not.

Inflation Moderates from October Spike

Energy, HST continue to driver annual increases

The annual increase in the CPI fell from the surprising 2.4 per cent of October to a more moderate 2.0 per cent in November, Statistics Canada reports. Energy, again, saw the single largest increases with gasoline 7.2 per cent higher year-over-year after increasing 8.8 per cent in October, and electricity 3.9 percent in November versus 8.1 per cent in October.

Seven of the eight components that make up the CPI increased in November, with transportation leading at 4.6 per cent and only clothing and footwear declining at –3.2 per cent.

On a month-over-month basis, prices increased by 0.1 per cent between October and November. Transportation, again, led at 1.8 per cent, followed by food at 0.5 per cent. The recreation, education and reading component fell by 0.9 per cent and the clothing and footwear component by 3.0 per cent.

Inflation in Ontario was the highest in the country at 3.0 per cent, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia all at 2.0 per cent. Alberta had the lowest at 0.1 per cent.

Inflation remains lower in U.S.

Inflation is the United States continues to be lower than in Canada with the November year-over-year rate at 1.0 per cent. Between October and November, prices increased by just 0.1 per cent. Energy was also the culprit but, at an annual rate of 3.9 per cent as opposed to the 6.7 per cent in Canada, it contributed much less to consumer costs.