1/13/2009 7:20:59 AM

Canadian Union of Public Employees
Local 402
Suite 251, 12899 – 76 Avenue, Surrey, B.C. V3W 1E6
(604) 543-3822 FAX (604) 543-3842
email: cupeoffice@cupe402.com
President – Laurie Larsen Secretary – Tom Wiebe

January 7, 2009

Mayor & Council

RE: Councillor Gill’s Media Reports On Snow Removal

The Union is extremely disappointed that Councillor Gill has chosen to act in a disrespectful manner toward the City staff through the Media.

The Union is expecting a formal written apology from Councillor Gill. Although he did reference the staff doing “a commendable job”, he certainly lost the Union’s respect for his further comments in the media.

I wonder if he realizes that while he sat at home with his wife and children on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day, and celebrated the New Year on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day that City crews had not had a day off since December 13. I wonder if he realized that each driver had been working either a 4 AM to 4 PM shift or a 4 PM to 4 AM shift since December 13 to keep all the main roads clear so that his family could enjoy Christmas, New Year’s, shopping and visiting, while these crews hardly even had a chance to celebrate Christmas or see their family and friends.

His suggestion that overtime was an issue is ridiculous. According to law the drivers have a maximum of a 12- hour shift, which they were all working since early December. His suggestion of a contractor is even more ridiculous. We all know how effective regular garbage pickup has been with a contractor and somehow he thinks service for snow removal would be better. He simply needs to look at the condition of contracted out private lot snow removal to see how effective that is.

Our City staff gave up a lot to clear our streets and the last thing they needed was a Councillor saying “it wasn’t done fast enough”. Perhaps the Councillor could volunteer to work without a break for 20 days just to have someone say “it wasn’t good enough or fast enough” and then be expected to work 12 hour shifts again to relieve the flooding conditions that are now occurring.

The Union would expect that the Mayor and Council would respond by saying they don’t support Councillor Gill’s comments and that they appreciate the hard work and commitment these drivers have shown.