11779 replies to this topic

[Matt R.]

True about the language requirement for Brodeur. Didn’t they expand quite a lot over the last couple of years too, taking over the old Lampson elementary?

Also, cheese wagon is the term. Never heard cheese box.

Matt.

[Mike K.]

So Lampson is French immersion now?

[Matt R.]

My understanding is that it stopped being Lampson many years ago and the CF were using the space as a language facility. Ecole Brodeur has been renting the space for a couple of years from the school district and is looking to buy it, or already has?

This information comes from some good friends of ours, whose kids go there - but the information is filtered through my wife.

Matt.

[shoeflack]

^correct. They actually rent both the former Lampson (since 2012) and Sundance (since 2015) Elementary schools.

And ya, Lampson closed in 2007.

Edited by shoeflack, 18 October 2019 - 08:45 PM.

[spanky123]

The City is trying to move ahead with it's "certified living wage employers" program. Any company doing business with the City ill need to certify that all staff are paid at least $19.39 an hour. The City will also re-open collective agreements to give staff currently working for the City raises. Looks like biggest impact will be in security and hospitality services.

 

https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=45845

[Nparker]

The City is trying to move ahead with it's "certified living wage employers" program. Any company doing business with the City will need to certify that all staff are paid at least $19.39 an hour...

This is sure to make life more affordable...said no one.

[Mike K.]

So if an employer provides the below, it gets excluded from $19.39?

Non-mandatory employer provided benefits - such as extended health/dental care, professional education development, enhanced vacation and sick leave - are included in the living wage calculation. For 2019, the living wage for Greater Victoria is $19.39.

[Victoria Watcher]

i suppose they will have to show it (salary and benefits) all adds up to $19.39.  that's not hard to show.

 

it looks like the biggest effect on current employees will be royal athletic park workers (concession and door).  not sure if the concession and door persons at royal and mcpherson are city of victoria employees.  probably not.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 October 2019 - 06:05 AM.

[Mike K.]

The report says they are and they’re the only employees which are not being paid a living wage.

[Mike K.]

From the report:

All City employees are compensated at or above the prevailing living wage rate with the exception of those occupying the following auxiliary positions within the CUPE Local 50 bargaining unit: Door Attendant/Usher, Childminder and Concession Worker. During the 2019 Financial Plan deliberations, Council allocated $9,000 from new assessed revenue to implement the Living Wage Policy for City employees.

[Victoria Watcher]

the report perhaps purposefully overlooks one of the largest city of victoria suppliers. maybe even the largest in terms of number of employees servicing that contract.  the company that has a long-term contract to run the arena the city owns.  rg properties.  that pays very few of its employees anywhere close to that wage.

 

also what's happening with wages at the beacon hill park children's farm?  under contract to the city.

 

what about when the city contracts with food trucks at centennial square etc.?

 

the dvba might not be a "supplier" to the city but their clean team only earns a tad over minimum wage.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 October 2019 - 06:35 AM.

[Mike K.]

I was just going to ask if the arena workers are City or private workers.

But those employee make decent tips, do they not? So the take-home can be quite a bit higher than the hourly wage.

[rjag]

I was asked that question as well as a request to hand over 3 years of financials on several bids with COV years ago and other public agencies ie Province of BC, VIHA, Ferries etc. It was part of the scoring and to ensure financial viability and to avoid the possibility of employees being bribed to disclose confidential information.

 

My reply every time was a statement along the lines of 

 

'we are a privately owned and managed business and will not disclose financial information regarding our operating business nor the wages of our employees. I will provide letters of reference from our accountants and our bankers to show we are on sound financial footing as well as state that our employees are paid a reasonable living wage supported with full benefits and a generous performance bonus structure' 

 

Their request for this info was a joke as most of the scoring on the bids were based on lowest price (at least 80%) and lots of these bids were open to business competing from outside the CRD and outside the Province in some situations www.tilma.ca. Wages may be a nice feel good thing to publicize but they play a big role in the setting of the bid price....so I can only hope the scoring reflects the possibility of any changes

[Victoria Watcher]

I was just going to ask if the arena workers are City or private workers.

But those employee make decent tips, do they not? So the take-home can be quite a bit higher than the hourly wage.

 

they work for a company rg set up for catering mostly.  nobody tips an arena concession worker.

[spanky123]

The City publishes a list of every vendor whom they purchase $25K or more of goods and services from each year. My reading of the proposed rule is that every one of those vendors who supplies more than $500K in product or services (unless they are a social enterprise or meet one of the other exemptions) will be required to pay every one of their employees  at least $19.39 an hour or else they will no longer be able to supply the City. 

 

That captures a lot of businesses and I am sure that many have staff that are paid less than $19.39 an hour.

[Victoria Watcher]

for example the banks the city deals with.  

[Mike K.]

Massive sums in tips are collected at the food and drink stands, which are shared among employees working in those positions. People also tip at the restaurant and tip their servers in private boxes.

[rjag]

The City publishes a list of every vendor whom they purchase $25K or more of goods and services from each year. My reading of the proposed rule is that every one of those vendors who supplies more than $500K in product or services (unless they are a social enterprise or meet one of the other exemptions) will be required to pay every one of their employees  at least $19.39 an hour or else they will no longer be able to supply the City. 

 

That captures a lot of businesses and I am sure that many have staff that are paid less than $19.39 an hour.

 

Is the City stepping outside of its jurisdiction again? How do they force the supplier to provide payroll info? Is a general statement enough? Or do they require names? What if the company has more than 1 line of business? ie other lines that they dont provide the City? Are these areas also required to disclose?

[Victoria Watcher]

Massive sums in tips are collected at the food and drink stands, which are shared among employees working in those positions. People also tip at the restaurant and tip their servers in private boxes.

 

i've never tipped at the arena concession in my life.  i have at the dedicated beer window at rap though.  hmmmm.

 

yes restaurant and suite servers do well i bet.  

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 October 2019 - 07:25 AM.

[spanky123]

There is an exemption in the proposed policy which would exclude RG properties from the new rules.

 

https://pub-victoria...ocumentId=45846