Mayor Ford has hired a private consulting firm to review city services with the goal of cutting and privatizing them, downsizing the city workforce, selling off city assets, and contracting out your jobs.
During the municipal election campaign, Mayor Ford said he would not cut services. He seems to have already forgotten that promise.
The Mayor says Toronto has a spending problem, but this is just not true.
Toronto’s spending is comparable to many cities of the same size across North America, while Toronto’s tax rate is the lowest in the GTA.
Mayor Ford is creating a crisis by claiming there’s a $774 million deficit; the media reported the deficit is closer to $443 million. Ford said labour costs are 80% of the city budget, but according to the City’s own figures, the number is 48% — less than cities like Calgary. Mayor Ford doesn’t know the City’s financial situation, doesn’t care, or is making up his own figures to suit his agenda.
To make matters worse, Mayor Ford has squandered the $275 million surplus left over by the last Mayor. He’s returned to the old days of spending millions on private consultants, and wasted millions more by reversing decisions from the previous council, even if it doesn’t make good financial sense.
Mayor Ford’s actions will result in jobs with decent pay being eliminated and replaced by minimum wage jobs. Taxpayers’ dollars will be redirected to private business. Important services, like childcare, long-term care, recreation and environmental protection will be eliminated or sold off.
The result of his actions will download millions of dollars in costs on families who will have to pay more for private services and fees.
Good jobs disappear and families pay more.
Over the next few weeks and months the recommendations to eliminate, downsize, privatize and sell off our city will be debated and decided on. Your union is fighting back but we will need your help. More than ever, now is the time for you to get involved and fight for your jobs and the kind of city you want to live in.
Please monitor this website and read your union communications. We’ll be asking you to take actions including:
- Calls and emails to your councilor
- Making deputations to and attending council
- Coming to rallies
- Enlisting the support and help of your family and friends
- Signing petitions and writing letters.
If you use email, please sign up to our newsletter at the top-right corner of this page so that we can keep you informed.
You have to be involved if you want to save your job and our city.
First action? Click here to send a letter to your City Councillor.
