Canadian Labour Reporter

1 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2014 MARCH 10, 2014 LABOUR BRIEFS Yukon to hike minimum wage / B.C. teachers could strike / Health care staffers in Saskatchewan ink new contract. . . . . . 2 COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS • Suncor Energy, Edmonton. Overnight shift premiums. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 • New Democratic Party, Alberta. Monthly payment in lieu of pension plan . . . . . . 3 • Elk Island Catholic, Sherwood Park, Alta. Merit-based pay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Education. $1,400 signing bonus for instructors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 • Casino du Lac-Leamy, Gatineau, Que. One day off for wedding day . . . . . . . . 5 • Saint John Construction Association, province-wide, New Brunswick. Up to $3,000 for tool insurance . . . . . . . . . 6 ARBITRATION AWARDS • Vacation days scaled back for health support staff in B.C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 • Elevator mechanic wrongfully dismissed for insubordination, judge rules . . . . . . 8 ON LABOUR-REPORTER.COM Health care staff in Nova Scotia legally challenge the latest move by the govern- ment to limit their ability to strike, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie calls for further pension reforms. Visit www. labour-reporter.com for daily news stories. Follow us on Twitter @labourreporter. And don't forget — all collective agreement summaries on labour-reporter.com now include links to the full agreement. UPCOMING ISSUES Alberta's workforce could be getting a makeover. The province has opened the floor to suggestions on how to improve its Employment Standards Code, which has been deemed convoluted by employers and outdated by labour groups. We take a closer look in next week's issue. | by LIZ FOSTER | WITH A RECENT step back from his efforts to bring the American-style right-to-work campaign to Canada, Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) leader Tim Hudak is taking a step forward in a different direc- tion by proposing a sweeping plan that would contract out government services and see public-sector unions competing with private companies. The PC's Financial Accountability Act was recently tabled by MPP Doug Holyday. An amend- ment to the Liberal govern- ment's legislation calling for the creation of a budget watchdog, the PC's pro- posal would order the new financial accountability of- ficer to review government services and recommend what to outsource. "It makes sense for tax- payers," Hudak said of the proposal. "Not only does it then improve the quality of services, but it means we have more money to invest in maybe that new drug to help treat Parkinson's; to help treat cancer; money that we can actually use to balance the books." The only problem with this plan — according to Anil Verma, director of the Centre of Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management — is that privatization is no guarantee of quality or cost. "It's not a given that we will neces- sarily save money when we contract out services," Verma said. "There are instanc- es when it has been efficient and it has saved money and there are cases where it ends up costing even more." One important factor to consider, he said, is the role of the employee. "The role of the people who do the job is very important. Some of the fans of privatization do not take into account that you want a dedicated and happy workforce. A model which demoralizes people is not a model you want to follow because, in the end, it costs you more," Verma said. High employee turnover leading to fewer qualified workers, less efficiency and more lapses in safety as a result of staff dis- satisfaction can actually increase costs. Considering a government service only in terms of its immediate cost is a very narrow — and potentially costly — ap- proach, Verma said. Holyday, however, called the proposal a common-sense approach to cost sav- ings. "It's no more than business would do, or anyone spending their own money would do," he said. "You look for the most reasonable, efficient way to provide the service or do the job. Tax dollars are hard to come by and tax dollars are a From right-to-work to right-to-bid in Ontario Proposed opposition amendment would see public- sector unions competing with private companies PM #40065782 Continued on page 7 "A model which demoralizes people is not a model you want to follow because in the end it costs you more." IN THIS ISSUE

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