This letter was presented as a deputation to the Toronto Police Services Board meeting by Local 79 First Vice-President Tim Maguire, on behalf of Local 79 President Ann Dembinski.  The video of the deputation is posted below.

Chair Alok Mukherjee and Members
Toronto Police Services Board

RE: Toronto Police Service – 2012 Operating Budget Request, Agenda item #4

I’m here on behalf of Ann Dembinski, President of CUPE Local 79.

Members of CUPE Local 79 are the people who deliver the services that the citizens of Toronto want and need, including clean police facilities to ensure the health and safety of police officers and the public.

The option of contracting out cleaning services at Toronto Police Services has been explored at least three times (1994, 1996 and 2003) and not implemented with good reason. These cleaners, many of them long-time loyal employees, are trusted by the police to ensure efficient, safe and secure conditions. Every cleaner must go through a comprehensive security screening before they are hired and in-depth training on the job for health and safety, biohazards and infectious disease control.

They are cleaning under very difficult conditions, including cleaning cells contaminated by blood, bodily fluids, feces, air borne communicable diseases and every other imaginable mess. The cleaners in police stations provide infection control for the whole workplace. Their work is not only hard, but it is critical to the

functioning of police stations across the City, where there is sensitive information and security issues. Furthermore, proper cleaning protects the City’s valuable assets, when done thoroughly and properly.

For a very small amount in savings the City and the Toronto Police Services Board would lose control over standards, and in the case of police facilities, put the City at risk.

Yet, during the 2011 Operating Budget process the Toronto Police Services Board asked the City to explore the feasibility of contracting out cleaning services.

CUPE Local 79 is pleased to see that the 2012 Operating Budget Request includes caretaking services, indicating:

“At this time, no firm direction has been provided by City Facilities with respect to an alternative delivery model for these services. Consequently, the Service continues to budget for caretaking services in 2012 utilizing the current arrangement with the City.”

However, the City has jumped the gun on this valuable service by already serving notice to contract out this front-line work.

The important matter of contracting out cleaning services at Toronto Police Services, an issue that is vital to the health and safety of officers and the public, is not being treated in a manner that is public, transparent, or in a manner that appears to be consistent with CUPE Local 79 Collective Agreements.

This decision should not be left to unelected bureaucrats and the City’s Bid Committee. There needs to be a public debate about this valued service and I would urge the Toronto Police Services Board to advise the City to retract any contracting out proposals that are currently underway.