By Shay Enxuga
Halifax Water Workers are staying strong on the picket lines. CUPE Local 227 (outside
workers) and CUPE Local 1431 (inside workers), representing collectively over 300 workers, have been locked out now for six weeks as they try to defend their pensions. Management is proposing massive rollbacks that could see workers’ pensions slashed by up to 30 percent.
The workers’ pensions are on the chopping block despite the fact that Halifax Water has raised water rates by almost 50 percent in the last four years and somehow manages to find the fat in the budget to sustain a top-heavy worker-to-manger ratio of approximately three-to-one.
Fiscal restraint is clearly not a priority, as Halifax Water is also shelling out top dollar to hire “elite strike security”.
However, the lines are solid. Workers at the Cowie Hill picket line are clearly digging their heels in for a good fight. They’ve constructed an awesome make-shift cabin complete with kitchen and lounge. And the camp is well stocked with a guitar, foosball table and yes, chickens!
Workers are asking that supporters call in complaints to the City of Halifax and Halifax Water to complain about the stink of sewage downtown!
You know what stinks? Union busting!
Halifax Water:
(902) 490-4820
City of Halifax:
Within the city: 311
Within Nova Scotia but outside Halifax: 1 (800) 835-6428
Outside Nova Scotia: (902) 490-4000
Carl Yates, General Manager of Halifax Water:
Cell: (902) 441 0985
Email: carl.yates@halifaxwater.ca
And Halifax Mayor Mike Savage:
Phone: (902) 490-4010
Email: mayor@halifax.ca
I worked there for 32 years ,, I now enjoy retirement, for a General Manager of a small utility to be making $257,000.00 plus bonuses and top 7 managers filling their pockets too , they are attacking the working peoples pension, I know that I speak for many retirees we are totally disgusted to see what we built and maintained for many years be destroyed by one greedy son of a b##@$## shame
My husband & I are enjoying his pension from this company, it’s not the best pension but it is a GOOD pension! To think the manager wants to cut the workers pension up to as much as 30% will make things very tight when they retire. The manger doesn’t have to worry because he’s making over $250,000.00 per YEAR!!! He wants a big pension when he retires & if they put a cap on the pension he won’t get it & that is what is going on & that is pure greed because the pension was never set up for such big salaries as the 7 high paying managers are getting! SHAME on Carl Yates & the other high paying managers of this company, too bad they couldn’t live on our pension for a few months & can see what it’s like & them maybe they will understand what it’s like & understand WHY these workers are fighting so hard for!! They are not asking for much but fighting for their future! The pension wouldn’t be in trouble now except for some FOOL who took the cap off & put it in deficit, the workers (even through the company is responsible for the pension) has tried working with the company to fix it by giving back 3 days pay & other options & the company still wants to take away some of their pension!! I believe anybody who is entitle to a good pension are the people who work in all kinds of weather, day or night, in ice cold water, when needed, not the managers who sit on their asses all day in warm buildings!! Time for the ratepayers to get mad & take action to get these workers back to work, after all, it was the company who LOCKED THEM OUT!! Yes, I’m pissed off & everybody should be!!!1
It was a “small utility” when you were there Dave. This is not Lady Hammond Rd. anymore.
The unions agenda has changed from getting the workers a better deal to sticking it to the managers.