Dear Fellow Local 79 Member:
First of all, I would like to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!
Toronto City Council will soon be making a decision on who will operate and deliver programmes at the new Warden Hilltop Community Centre, located near Warden Avenue and St. Clair Avenue East. Local 79 has written to the City requesting as much background information and factual documentation as possible in order to respond comprehensively to the recommendations in “the Report on the Operations of Warden Hilltop”, which will be going forward to the January cycle of the City’s committee meetings. The City has indicated that the report will not be available for public review until one week before it goes to the Community Development and Recreation Committee, which meets on January 21st. These extremely tight timelines raise serious concerns about the opportunity for anyone, including the community at large in Ward 35, to be able to make an informed response. Local 79 is continuing to fight vigorously to ensure that this new community centre will be City owned and directly operated, just like centres in the rest of Toronto.
The City of Toronto’s 2011 Operating Budget will go to the newly elected City Council for discussion early in the New Year. The City’s budget has a major impact on our members; especially given the direction that the new Mayor and many City Councillors appear to be headed regarding contracting-out. Local 79 is particularly disturbed by the Mayor’s and other councillors’ statements regarding contracting-out cleaning services at police stations. At a recent meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board, a motion was put forward asking for a report with a line-by-line breakdown of the entire police budget, as well as information on contracting-out cleaning at the police stations.
Local 79, as it has done so many times in the past, will fight any attempt to contract out the cleaning services we provide at the police stations. As always, Local 79 will be closely monitoring the budget debate, taking an active role in its progress, and making deputations as needed. Local 79 representatives will attend the budget committee meetings on a daily basis, and meet with City Councillors and staff. I will keep you informed as details become available.
The four current Collective Agreements between the City of Toronto and Local 79 are available on the Local 79 website at www.cupelocal79.org. These Collective Agreements cover the time period from January 2009 until the end of December 2011, or until a new Collective Agreement is negotiated.
Local 79 is in the process of arranging meetings with the City regarding Vacation Adjustment Disputes. Local 79 will notify members when their meeting has been scheduled.
Reminder to all CUPE Local 79 “shutterbugs”! Local 79 is currently running a photo contest open to all CUPE Local 79 Members who work in the City of Toronto, Bridgepoint Hospital and Toronto Community Housing Corporation. There will be a cash prize of $150 awarded in three different categories, a cash prize of $50 for the runner-up in each category, and a grand prize of $500 for best picture overall. Pictures will be subject to a “blind” judging by several local photojournalists. The contest runs until February 22, 2011 and complete contest rules are posted on our website at www.cupelocal79.org. Information has also been distributed in workplaces. I look forward to seeing the photo talent of our members. Best of luck to all those who enter!
Toronto Public Service makes a difference by raising almost $1.4 million for United Way Toronto! For the ninth year in a row, City of Toronto employees donated more than $1 million to a United Way Community Fund that provides core funding to a network of 200 non-profit agencies across the city helping families, young children, youth at risk, seniors and newcomers. In early December, the City of Toronto presented the donation of $1,385,000 to United Way Toronto. The generosity of Local 79 members is much appreciated.
Lastly, members are reminded that union dues are tax deductible. The Local 79 office receives numerous inquiries regarding this issue and wants to ensure that all our members claim this deduction when they complete their 2010 income tax return.
In Solidarity,
Ann Dembinski
President
