News Releases

Traffic is being restricted on Confederation Drive northbound at 22nd Street due to a break on the water main.  City crews will be on-site making repairs beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 4, but the restriction is in place now due to damage that occurred on the roadway.  Traffic will squeeze to the curb lane for half of the block between 22nd Street and the main west entrance to the Confederation Park shopping mall. 

Both west entrances to the shopping centre remain open, but drivers are cautioned to expect delays in the area.  Some businesses in the area may be affected by the water service outage.

This is the second water main break at this location over the past month, but the cause or extent of the damage is unknown at this time.  The roadway is expected to reopen in the early-evening on Saturday, January 4, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.  The City thanks drivers for their patience.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Starting today, citizens of Saskatoon have another way to provide feedback and ideas on the City of Saskatoon’s programs and initiatives.

Shaping Saskatoon is a new brand and online community engagement tool. It allows citizens to take part in discussions, online forums, or surveys from a home computer or any mobile device, at a time and place that is most convenient for them. The online tool will supplement the City’s existing community engagement tools which include public meetings, open houses, surveys, focus groups, and the City’s Facebook, Twitter and Blog pages.

“We believe there is tremendous value in conducting public engagement as it helps to inform decision-making and set policies,” says Catherine Gryba, General Manager of Corporate Performance. “Through the Saskatoon Speaks initiative, we learned that the citizens of Saskatoon want to be engaged in civic matters, and according to the 2013 Civic Services Survey, only 10% of participants said public meetings are their preferred source of information, so we felt there was a need to implement this new online tool that is easy to access and convenient to use.”

The online tool will be offered as a part of any engagement activity being conducted on City projects or initiative where public input would be helpful.

Citizens are invited to visit Shaping Saskatoon at any time to view projects and to participate in discussions, forums or surveys.  Citizens must first sign in by providing a valid email address and password, as well as their first and last name.

A protocol for conducting online engagement has been developed which users can access through the site. The City of Saskatoon Privacy Policy also applies to any information shared on the site.

To access the site, click the Shaping Saskatoon icon on the home page of the City’s website (www.saskatoon.ca) or go to www.shapingsaskatoon.ca.

Engagement is currently taking place on the topic of Smart Meters, and citizens are invited to take part now!

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

 

In accordance with Section 6-62(2) of the Saskatchewan Employment Act, the Employer can communicate facts and its opinion to the employees. The Employer feels it is necessary to provide details to its staff and to the public on the state of negotiations and the final offer to ATU 615. 

 

The following overview presents a summary of facts, for your information:

Wages

 

The following wage adjustments will be applied.

 

January 1, 2013     2.50%

January 1, 2014     2.20%

January 1, 2015     2.65%

January 1, 2016     2.65 %

 

This increase is the same wage adjustments agreed to by 8 other civic collective bargaining units.  This wage increase will provide a 10.38% wage increase (compounded) over a four year term.

 

This wage structure stays ahead of the Consumer Price Index and is a fair offer.

 

	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Saskatoon (Sask.)	3.9	0.9	1.2	2.5	1.5	1.0
Amalgamated Transit Union 615	4.0	4.0	2.0	2.0	3.0	2.5

 

“Western Canadian Average”

 

Overall, the transit union leadership has proposed a wage adjustment based on a formula it calls a western Canadian average.  This formula includes Winnipeg, Regina and four transit operations in Alberta, including Calgary and Edmonton, which serve populations of about a million people each and both cities operate light rail systems.

 

The ATU proposal to set wages based on a western Canadian average formula does not achieve our needs.

In comparison to Regina and Winnipeg, Saskatoon offers a very competitive wage package.  The City wage offer to ATU will result in a bus operator (top rate) as of January 1, 2015 being paid $25.65.  As of January 1, 2015 Winnipeg will be paying $25.64 and Regina will be paying $25.88. 

Other facts include:

·     Transit workers are recruited not regionally but largely from the local area

·     Labour market wage and benefit competitiveness is driven by local market conditions and Saskatoon’s micro economy.

·     The amount of money the City has for collective bargaining needs to be determined based on factors important to Saskatoon taxpayers such as: wise spending, what citizens want, sound business planning, and local economic conditions.

Saskatoon and Winnipeg wages are essentially the same and our wage is very close to the wages paid by Regina; we consider this to be a fairer comparison in terms of service and population.

 

In short, the proposed western Canadian average is not an oranges to oranges comparison.

 

Garbage truck drivers are paid better?

 

The transit union leadership has publicly highlighted a difference between garbage truck operators and transit operators with transit divers receiving less; this is true.  However, Saskatoon Transit operators receive a more generous health and dental plan than do Saskatoon garbage truck drivers.

 

·     A CUPE 859 Operator (garbage truck driver) is paid $25.92/hr (2015);  an ATU Operator (2015) is paid $25.65/hr

·     The City provides 3.5% towards Extended Health and Dental for ATU: The City provides 2.0% towards Extended Health and Dental for CUPE 859:

So, there are always trade-offs according to what the bargaining unit decides and negotiates for its members.

Regina Transit wages

 

The transit union leadership has also pointed to a better wage schedule for Regina transit operators.  The Regina transit union gave up its provision for severance pay to get a higher wage scale.

 

Pension

 

ATU 615 is the only city collective bargaining unit that has not signed on to important pension contribution changes.  Ten other unions and professional associations (the Fire union included) have reached an agreement in principle regarding changes to the benefit structure of the pension plan.  The parties believe these changes set out a framework for the long term sustainability of the Plan.

Without these changes a significant portion of the money that the City has set aside for wage increases will have to be redirected to pay for the cost of the pension plans unfunded liability.

 

TERM

 

The term of the Agreement is for 4 years.  The term is for the period of January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016.

 

Saskatoon Transit continues to operate as usual.

At this time, Saskatoon Transit thanks the public for its patience and understanding.

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