THE point man in the negotiations between Winnipeg Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union has become the latest high-ranking city official to join what amounts to a summer exodus of experienced professionals and advisers.
Sudhir Sandhu, the city's labour relations and compensation manager, is leaving Winnipeg at the end of August to become a negotiator for the Manitoba Nurses Union.
"I'm going over to 'the dark side,' as some of my colleagues have told me," joked Sandhu, whose resignation comes as Winnipeg Transit faces the prospect of its first strike since 1976.
As a result, the 10-year city employee may delay his departure for several weeks to settle the dispute with the Amalgamated Transit Union.
"It's an interesting time," he said. "I look forward to closing off the loose ends before I go."
Sandhu is one of five high-profile city employees to announce their resignation in July in an unusual wave of departures, even within the context of the city's workforce troubles.
A workforce planning audit published in May concluded Winnipeg is desperately trying to recruit and maintain quality workers in the face of a looming retirement crunch, as well as one of the tightest labour markets in decades.
Compounding the problem is the fact the city no longer pays more than the private sector and is not perceived as a desirable place to work, the city auditor stated in her report.
This month alone, departing staffers include city solicitor Ursula Goeres, senior planner Jim Paterson and long-term strategist Connie Walker, who all gave their notice earlier this month.
They were followed this week by Sandhu and Caroline Neufeld, one of Mayor Sam Katz's few remaining policy advisers.
Neufeld, who worked in the city policy-making office known as EPC Secretariat, plans to leave Winnipeg for Vancouver at the end of August.
Her departure effectively leaves Katz with only four official advisers: EPC Secretariat boss Bryan Gray, crime specialist Krista Boryskavich, environmental adviser Sara MacArthur and strategist Alex Robinson, the former acting chief administrative officer.
Katz has been on holidays all week and unavailable for comment. In his absence, spokeswoman Carmen Barnett refused to comment on Neufeld's departure or the dwindling size of the mayoral brain trust.
The departure of quality staffers from several city departments could benefit Winnipeg overall, suggested Glen Laubenstein, the city's chief administrative officer.
"The fact that City of Winnipeg staff are often sought out by other organizations indicates that our public service employees are recognized as highly skilled individuals who make valuable contributions based on their education, experience and abilities," Laubenstein said in an e-mail.
The CAO also said the City of Winnipeg is experiencing the same workforce issues that plague other governments and private-sector organizations.
As a labour-relations expert, departing manager Sandhu said he understands.
"We're in a difficult situation, in that the city does not have enough people," he said. "I'm sympathetic to the city's situation."
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca
PREVIOUS
