Will Comrade Miller Resign If He Is Wrong?????

The head of the city union seems to disagree with our honorable mayor.......

Concerns raised over firefighters' contract deal

Mayor David Miller doesn't believe city unions will be demanding lucrative contracts following a raise well above inflation recently granted to Toronto's firefighters.

The 9.5 per cent pay increase for firefighters, which takes place over three years, was quietly passed this summer in a closed-door meeting and without a recorded vote or discussion by councillors, the Toronto Star reported.

Some councillors say the contract sets a dangerous benchmark for other unions who will be negotiating salaries soon, including those representing police officers and TTC workers.

But on Friday, Miller was confident other unions wouldn't be demanding the same raises, especially the police union.

"The police do not look to firefighters as a precedent," Miller told CTV's Paul Bliss. "The firefighters' settlement has nothing whatsoever to do with the upcoming negotiations of the police and has no impact."

The Toronto police contract expires Dec. 31, and the deal with unionized TTC workers ends March 31.

Contracts involving outside employees, library workers and Toronto Community Housing expire Dec. 31, 2008. Brian Cochrane, president of CUPE local 416, told the Star the union will "take into consideration'' the firefighters' agreement.

Councillor Karen Stintz told the Star contracts involving city workers should "absolutely" be limited to cost-of-living raises and possibly be limited to two years. She added generous increases should not be granted until "we can turn the city around and get it back on solid financial footing.''

Toronto is facing a $240 million budget shortfall next year.

Wages for government workers accounts for about 90 per cent of Toronto's nearly $9 billion budget.

With a report from CTV's Paul Bliss