City eyes snow-clearing work

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This article was published 21/08/2015 (3798 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A cost-benefit analysis of snow-clearing work by private contractors and civic employees is set to be released early next month, and the head of the city’s largest union is eager to see the results.

Mike Davidson, president of CUPE Local 500, said his union’s own analysis shows civic employees can do a better job at less cost than what the city has been spending on private contractors.

“So often we come forward with (cost-saving) ideas, but they get dismissed,” Davidson said. “We’ve done our due diligence, and we know bringing that work back, using our members, can reduce costs.”

The cost-benefit analysis is part of a comprehensive review of the city’s snow-clearing efforts, which will be brought to the public works committee Sept. 11.

The report was originally to be presented to committee in June but the public works department asked for more time.

Public works chairwoman Coun. Janice Lukes said she’s looking forward to the findings and the debate surely to follow, adding she’s scheduled the meeting for the entire day.

The review is a big risk for Davidson and the 4,600 members of his union working for the City of Winnipeg. CUPE 500 has been pressuring city hall for years to conduct the cost-benefit analysis, but city officials refused, countering with the position they were satisfied they were getting the best value for taxpayer dollars with reliance on private contractors to do the bulk of snow clearing.

City hall contracted out snow-clearing work to private contractors about 17 years ago. Now, the contractors handle 80 per cent of street snow clearing and 50 per cent of sidewalk clearing, with civic crews responsible for the remainder.

CUPE has repeatedly asked the city to do the comparison, convinced its crews can do a better job, with fewer public complaints and less cost than private contractors.

Critics, and the administration, question the validity of the union’s claims, pointing out hiring contractors means city hall doesn’t have to take on the cost of buying a fleet of snow-clearing equipment — and figuring out what to do with it when there is no snow on the ground — and hiring extra staff and keeping that staff employed when they aren’t needed for snow clearing.

The review was prompted by a call from Couns. Ross Eadie and Brian Mayes — both endorsed by the Winnipeg Labour Council in the last election — who don’t believe the city is getting good value from contractors.

“People are paying more for property taxes, but they’re not getting the quality of service for those extra costs,” said Eadie (Mynarski), explaining the quality of snow clearing efforts have been spotty, particularly in the North End, and he’s concerned how the administration has responded.

“Curbs get damaged (during snow clearing) and all the contractors are supposed to pay into a pool which funds curb repair work, but it’s the same contractors doing the damage who get the contracts to do the curb repairs,” Eadie said.

“Contractors were given longer contracts so they could get financing to buy more equipment — so the city is actually buying the equipment, but it’s the contractors who own it.”

Mayes (St. Vital) said he believes Winnipeg should follow the example of other major Canadian cities who do a greater share of snow clearing in-house.

“Right now, there’s no incentive for the contractors (to improve) and the city won’t hold them accountable,” Mayes said. “If the city took on a greater share, it would put pressure on the contractors and civic workers to do a better job or face the threat of losing it to the other.”

There have been problems with snow clearing. Two winters ago, one of the private contractors was unable to clear streets in Sage Creek and large areas of Mayes’ south St. Vital ward in a timely manner and fell badly behind the city’s snow-clearing schedule.

Contractors are blamed for damage to curbs and private property, especially fences.

Residents with back lanes complain the city does not clear their windrows when it clears front drives.

Sidewalk clearing has also been troublesome. Residential sidewalks were always cleared last, but public works officials recently told council that for this winter, busy residential streets will get top priority along with downtown sidewalks.

Earlier this year, the union capitalized on public anger over snow-clearing efforts and set up a hotline and website to collect those complaints.

While not a scientific survey, CUPE 500 said in June two-thirds of those who contacted the union were unhappy with the quality of snow-clearing by private contractors, and that using private contractors has impacted the city’s accountability to citizens and its reputation.

Davidson said both the survey data and the union’s own analysis will be presented to councillors at the Sept. 11 meeting, adding he’s also looking forward to seeing the department’s internal findings.

“This is a detailed plan that we believe will show what we’re proposing is workable, will save taxpayers money and provide improved service,” Davidson said.

 

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca