Peter Ladner - Mischief Maker

Peter Ladner, in the Monday September 07, 2007 Vancouver Sun, presents the city's case:

As for the 2010 Olympics Partnership Agreement, CUPE wants to limit opportunities for employees and volunteers to participate, and to claim exclusive union jurisdiction over all Olympic sites.

We're also fighting the expectation that the 2010 Olympics will open the door to a better-than-expected deal, as witnessed by a leaked union memo saying that the city workers deserve a 2010 signing bonus.

The first paragraph is an accurate presentation of CUPE 15's offer to the City. It does, however, gloss over the City's proposal of a revised work week.

The second paragraph is an astounding fabrication matched only by the entitlement mindset of certain picketers.

Olympic linkage to a signing bonus was not ever made.

Mr. Ladner refers to a memo sent by Mike Jackson, CUPE 1004 president, to his bargaining committee. It stated or proposed, depending on the story, that CUPE would require a signing bonus, to return to work, and that the amount would increase as the strike lengthened. I have heard this sentiment expressed on the picket line.

I no more understand the entitlement logic then I do Mr. Ladner's mischief making.

If Mr. Ladner wished to question CUPE's intentions it would have been wiser to utilize CUPE's factsheet titled " 'Fiscal Reality' at the City of Vancouver."

Economy Booming
The Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board Housing Price index for all types of housing is up more than 10% . . .

A questions Mr. Ladner could have posed:

• Is CUPE suggesting property taxes should always increase by the same percentage as their assessed value?

Residential Taxpayers Pay for Freeze on Business Taxes
Vancouver is shifting 2% of the tax levy away from business property taxes and towards homeowners,

Mr. Ladner could have simply implied:

• CUPE, it seems, is opposed to small business. For all CUPE's anti-Wal Mart bluster about protecting small business they don't wish to give that same small business a a tax break

Contracting Out
$6.7 million to Haebler Construction Projects Inc.

Mr. Ladner could have asked:

• Since when is CUPE in the contstruction business?
• IS CUPE opposed to the new Sunset Community Centre or the new ice rinks?

Reserves
In 2006, the value of Vancouver's Property Fund was $1.83 billion. At the end of 2006, city of Vancouver had $339.1 million set aside in special purpose reserves. These reserves increased by 15% ($44.3 million) over the year.

Mr. Ladner could have challenged CUPE:

• Which property should be sold to access profit from the property fund?
• The special purposes reserves are a rainy day fund. Funds required for emergency services and reconstruction following a natural disaster. Does CUPE truly believe that this strike is a natural diaster?

Finally, a question for Mr. Ladner.

You consistently state:

Bear in mind that the above-inflation salary increases that both sides have already agreed upon will cost the average Vancouver homeowner around $300 over the five-year term of the contract, and an average business owner $3,290. This is without adding the cost of benefits still being negotiated.

Following in the spirit of Benjamin Disraeli, "There are three types of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

You consistently state the above noted costs without ever explaining how they were determined. I sent you an email September 5th requesting the process to determine these average costs and also what the cost of the proposed contract terms, 17.5% over 5 years, would be.

No answer so far.

It appears you wish to repeat these costs enough times anticipating that taxpayers will eventually accept it as fact while avoiding any quantifiable challenge to prove it's accuracy.