Letters

Councillor Ana Bailão speaks out in support of City cleaners

15 March 2012

 CUPE Local 79 President, Tim Maguire, thanks Councillor Bailão for her diligence and support in the fight to save living wage public service jobs from becoming low wage, poverty-level work.

Councillor Ana Bailão, Toronto City Hall

Dear Councillor Bailão,

 RE:     City Council meeting March 6, 2012 –   The Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs (CD10.2)

 On behalf of CUPE Local 79, particularly our members who work as cleaners for the City of Toronto, I would like to thank you for your diligence and support in the fight to save living wage public service jobs from becoming low wage, poverty-level work.

 As you know, the City is poised to contract out cleaning services, throwing hundreds of people out of work. If the City proceeds, the detriment to families and communities – now and in the future – will be devastating.

 Layoff notices have already been issued in the ‘first phase’ of contracting out cleaning at police stations. As part of the ongoing service review, the City has been actively pursuing ‘strategic sourcing’ for cleaning City facilities. What has been missing in the deliberations about contracting out cleaning services is the importance of this work. The people who clean all of the City’s facilities play a very special role in infection control, health and safety and security. Contracting out this work to outside operators poses a serious risk as the City will lose control and accountability.

 You have spoken out informatively on this issue at the City’s Standing Committees with understanding and compassion. At the recent City Council meeting, your motion to give the Government Management Committee and Council an opportunity to have a thoughtful second look at the long-term effects and potential liabilities of this contracting out proposal is a sound and considered approach.

 It is equally sound that the Government Management Committee and all Councillors need to have the facts and necessary background information regarding, “the key terms and conditions, staffing changes and security protocol in the Impact Cleaning custodial contract for Police Stations, and the evaluation process used in the award of the contract.”

 It is also advisable to defer issuing a Request For Quotation (RFQ) for custodial services at Children’s Services locations and the Toronto Police Services Communication Building at 703 Don Mills Road until a full review of the requested report has been done by Committee.

 Thank you for your thoroughness and pursuit of transparency and accountability about City cleaning services, the contracting out of these services and the impact on the livelihoods of hundreds of City workers.

  Yours truly,

 

   Tim Maguire, President

  c.c.       Government Management Committee,  City Councillors,  Toronto Police Services Board