2006 Municipal Elections: Pitfield - Unions are too powerful

[CliffColeclough]

Finally a politican that speaks out on all-too powerful unions.

From the Toronto Star

Pitfield seeks to phase out unions
Jun. 13, 2006. 05:58 AM
PAUL MOLONEY
CITY HALL BUREAU


The city should slowly get rid of its unions because they have become too powerful under Mayor David Miller, mayoral hopeful Jane Pitfield says.

The city councillor told reporters yesterday that unions have outlived their purpose.

"Why were unions created originally? It was because people were working in deplorable conditions. In 2006, we cannot say that that is still the case," said Pitfield (Ward 26, Don Valley West).

Her comments were denounced by Brian Cochrane, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 416, representing outside workers such as garbage collectors. "For someone seeking the highest position in the city, it is an absolutely ludicrous statement to make," he said.

Ontario law gives workers the right to organize and bargain collectively, Cochrane said, and Pitfield's suggestion is "even ridiculous for her."

Later, Pitfield seemed to back off from her comments, issuing a statement saying "unions can have an important role to play in municipal government and (I) do not believe that they should be decertified or eliminated."

Pitfield said that under Miller's administration, contracting out city work to private sector companies has been off the table. The idea of increased contracting out was first raised by the previous mayor, Mel Lastman, but not acted on.

"We have a lot of people who want jobs, who want the opportunity to bid on union contracts, and right now they are not being given the opportunity that they had a few years ago."

Pitfield's comments came during a city hall news conference attended by herself and five other city councillors who want an investigation of the wildcat TTC strike May 29 and are demanding that TTC chair Howard Moscoe step down immediately.

The strike forced 700,000 commuters to find alternate means of transport and has raised questions about the agency's labour relations and just who is running the system. And the political fallout from the strike led to the resignation of general manager Rick Ducharme, who accused Moscoe and Miller of meddling.

Councillors intend to pursue the issue at city council's meeting tomorrow

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Interesting how she commented they only became powerful under Miller, when they had more or less been that way for years.

The whole thing is just a soundbite - she has no power over the labour laws, which is a provincial jurisdiction. But of course, saying things that people wanted to hear will presumably sway hearts, no?

AoD

 

[Abeja de Almirante]

Union's are a business like any other, and need to continue to grow and expand their memberships, plus deal with any threats to their success, such as this politician's comments.

 

[mpolo2]

then you would agree that as a business, it should be subject to regulation, just like any other business to ensure that its activities are in the best interest of society at large?

This is just Jane P trying to capitalize on (deserved) anti-union sentiments after the TTC strike.

 

[Archivistower]

There's a very nice reply to Jane's comments at spacing. Really, she's so hapless.

 

[andreapalladio]

then you would agree that as a business, it should be subject to regulation, just like any other business to ensure that its activities are in the best interest of society at large?

Unions are regulated, under the Labour Relations Act. Their activities, naturally, are obliged to be in the best interests of their members, not the public.

 

[ganjavih]

I do think that unions are too powerful but Pitfield's comments are just silly. She's definitely not mayor material.

 

[mpolo2]

Their activities, naturally, are obliged to be in the best interests of their members, not the public.

and therein lies the problem - especially as the only part of organized labour that is still growing is in the public sector.

 

[andreapalladio]

Do you act solely in the public interest? Do you never act to further your own interests?

 

[mpolo2]

No - I, like most individuals, tend to act in my own self interest - and we are generaly ok with that as it is primary to our democratic political system and a market based economic one. But a) my ability to impact the greater society is muted somewhat by me being just one person whose actions can be offset by every other individual and b)more importantly I (and most of the rest of us) dont put ourselves out there as some kind of force for what is good or "progressive" as many unions do. We are critical of corporations for acting in the same self interest to the point that the very word "corporate" has become a pejorative adjective - but I really dont see unions as being any different -- and it is the hypocracy of it that bothers me. Dont piss in my face and tell me its raining. As an 'owner' of the public sector it gets to me that the unions are squeezing the most they can for themselves out of our limited resources for themselves and then still claiming it is the name of some kind of social justice.

 

[blixa442]

I do think that unions are too powerful but Pitfield's comments are just silly. She's definitely not mayor material.

I wouldn't vote for Pitfield, but I do agree with her that unions have hijacked this city.

 

[spmarshall]

Well, at least the Toronto Police Association and ATU 113.

 

[andreapalladio]

We are critical of corporations for acting in the same self interest to the point that the very word "corporate" has become a pejorative adjective

Who's "we"? You got a tapeworm?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

From the Globe:

Pitfield campaign lagging, critics say
JENNIFER LEWINGTON
CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF

By any yardstick, taking on an incumbent Toronto mayor with high approval ratings would be tough for anyone this November.

But even those eager for veteran Councillor Jane Pitfield to give Mayor David Miller a run for his money say her campaign to unseat him has yet to catch fire.

Last week, former Liberal MP Dennis Mills confirmed again he has no plans to run. "I'd have to have my head examined," he jokes. That means the spotlight falls even sharper on the only serious contender in the Nov. 13 mayoral race.

Even among those who want her to do well, the widely shared assessment is blunt: Ms. Pitfield lacks momentum to turn things around before the campaign heats up after Labour Day.

"There is no race," says one political observer, no fan of Mr. Miller. "She's a well-meaning lady, but there is no traction."

Ms. Pitfield and her recently rejigged team of advisers (early backer Vic Gupta has officially bowed out, as has ex-campaign manager Stewart Braddick) take a different view.

"The best is yet to come," she declares, warning against underestimating her chances. "The momentum is something I feel and it will be obvious soon."

Campaign manager John Foden adds, "in terms of traction, I have people knocking down my door trying to get in and make a contribution."

But those convinced Mr. Miller is vulnerable on his record over the past three years point to the political notables absent from Ms. Pitfield's side.

Chief among them is long-time Tory political kingmaker Paul Godfrey, the former Metro chairman and adviser to ex-mayor Mel Lastman. Now president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays, Mr. Godfrey says, "I am not discouraging or encouraging anyone.

"I am not involved in this campaign, nor do I expect to be involved," he adds.

"The only campaign I am attempting is a run at the American League championship."

Also missing from the picture is another prominent Tory, Rod Phillips, president and CEO of WarrenShepell. The former top aide to Mr. Lastman is a senior adviser to Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory in preparation for next year's provincial election.

Among Liberals, influential party operatives such as Stephen LeDrew and Bob Richardson are also on the mayoral sidelines.

"I know Jane Pitfield to be a terrific person with a wonderful heart, but I also know she doesn't have the experience to provide the strong leadership this city needs," says Mr. Ledrew, a critic of Mr. Miller.

Without a stepped-up campaign or a new challenger, says Mr. Ledrew, "I know a lot of these players who will prefer to sit this one out rather than to waste their time."

But not all hold that view.

TV broadcaster Peter Kent, who ran unsuccessfully for the federal Tories in Toronto in the Jan. 23 election, is a regular on her under-the-radar "listening tour" (one downtown stop drew eight people) now under way across the city.

And top Liberal pollster Michael Marzolini, an early adviser to Ms. Pitfield, says the "phony war" period of summer (when voters are at the cottage) will give way to a visible, competitive race this fall.

"She has the potential, she has the ideas and the energy," Mr. Marzolini says. "She has to show some momentum."

If there is any glimmer of hope for Ms. Pitfield, it is the vein of discontent among the residents at her listening tour of the city's 22 wards, launched last month.

"Her main attribute is that she is not David Miller," says Scarborough resident Randy Bentley. "The city is being run by downtown socialists."

Mr. Bentley, who backed Mr. Tory in the 2003 mayoral race, was one of 35 people who showed up at a Kingston Road restaurant for the kickoff of Ms. Pitfield's listening tour that will run through the summer.

Last week in Rexdale, resident Babatunde Olokum was one of 12 people who turned up to listen to the councillor talk about crime, taxes and services. Echoing a theme heard in other suburban neighbourhoods, he says, "we believe nobody is paying attention right now to the problems of Etobicoke."

A recent crime wave, adding to the stigma of Rexdale, is at the top of the list of concerns, he says.

Councillor Karen Stintz (Eglinton-Lawrence), who attended a $300-a-plate fundraiser for Ms. Pitfield last month that drew 112 people, says her colleague can tap a "restlessness out there that we should be achieving more than we are."

Among the challenges, raising money may be the toughest. Following Mr. Miller's lead, Ms. Pitfield opted not to accept any corporate or union donations. Backers of both candidates refuse to divulge what they've raised so far, but educated guesses suggest a lopsided scorecard: about $400,000 for Mr. Miller and about $50,000 for Ms. Pitfield.

Like others, Ms. Stintz is candid about the uphill climb ahead.

"There is a glimmer of hope," she says, but warns time is short to show momentum. "There are people out there interested, and if things don't start taking shape soon, then they would be more interested to jump in the race."

AoD

 

[adma]

No, no, no, there was a misunderstanding. Jane Pitfield said that *onions* are too powerful.

[cue further surrealist elaboration of that theme]