Hamilton – Before Hamilton councillors make any decisions at today’s council meeting that would commit them to transferring the operations of a ski hill and two golf courses to the conservation authority, municipal workers are asking council to look at in-house solutions to keeping the facilities city-run.
“Work with us. We can help city managers turn these operations around. They can be profitable, and we’re offering a cooperative partnership with council to keep the facilities
in-house,” says Gus Oliveira, the president of Local 5167 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
He points out that it would be prudent for council to direct city staff to work with the union in preparing an analysis on how the ski hill and golf courses can become revenue makers while still under city control. Other municipalities, like Toronto, run several golf courses at a sizable profit, and there is no reason why Hamilton can’t do the same.
“If council is going to ask staff to prepare a report on a proposal from the Hamilton Conservation Authority, we believe they owe it the residents of the city to also investigate how the ski and golf operations could be run in-house.
“In addition, ” says Oliveira, “the city is compelled to do so under its own ‘alternative service delivery’ policy. It stipulates that, when city services are contracted out or transferred from municipal delivery, all aspects of delivery must be looked at, including in-house provision.”
Among the senior union staff, there is years of skill and experience working at the golf courses and ski hill, and that expertise, says Oliveira, should be used.
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For more information, please contact:
Gus Oliveira President, CUPE Local 5167 (905) 517-4105
Stella Yeadon CUPE Communications (416) 578-8774
opeiu491/EW
“Work with us. We can help city managers turn these operations around. They can be profitable, and we’re offering a cooperative partnership with council to keep the facilities
in-house,” says Gus Oliveira, the president of Local 5167 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
He points out that it would be prudent for council to direct city staff to work with the union in preparing an analysis on how the ski hill and golf courses can become revenue makers while still under city control. Other municipalities, like Toronto, run several golf courses at a sizable profit, and there is no reason why Hamilton can’t do the same.
“If council is going to ask staff to prepare a report on a proposal from the Hamilton Conservation Authority, we believe they owe it the residents of the city to also investigate how the ski and golf operations could be run in-house.
“In addition, ” says Oliveira, “the city is compelled to do so under its own ‘alternative service delivery’ policy. It stipulates that, when city services are contracted out or transferred from municipal delivery, all aspects of delivery must be looked at, including in-house provision.”
Among the senior union staff, there is years of skill and experience working at the golf courses and ski hill, and that expertise, says Oliveira, should be used.
-30-
For more information, please contact:
Gus Oliveira President, CUPE Local 5167 (905) 517-4105
Stella Yeadon CUPE Communications (416) 578-8774
opeiu491/EW