In another east coast public victory, the town of Conception Bay South also recently decided to contract in bulk garbage pickup for a trial period of one year. After hearing some convincing arguments from CUPE 3034, council agreed to buy a new truck and create two full-time positions and one part-time position to do the work. This is another feather in the local’s cap, which boasts a model agreement with some of the strongest contracting out language in the country.
The central Newfoundland town of Botwood has also brought its residential garbage collection in house, after nearly 30 years of contracting out. The employer insisted with no evidence that they couldn’t afford to bring collection in house. CUPE 1349 convinced the town to conduct a study. To council’s surprise, the study showed the contractor had been overcharging more than double the cost in one comparable town, and nearly four times another.
The town decided to buy the contractor’s truck and, working with the union, negotiate a rate for the driver under the collective agreement. The lesson for municipalities everywhere is that even long-standing contracting out deals should come under the public microscope.
The central Newfoundland town of Botwood has also brought its residential garbage collection in house, after nearly 30 years of contracting out. The employer insisted with no evidence that they couldn’t afford to bring collection in house. CUPE 1349 convinced the town to conduct a study. To council’s surprise, the study showed the contractor had been overcharging more than double the cost in one comparable town, and nearly four times another.
The town decided to buy the contractor’s truck and, working with the union, negotiate a rate for the driver under the collective agreement. The lesson for municipalities everywhere is that even long-standing contracting out deals should come under the public microscope.