As I sit here in my seventh day of face-to-face contract negotiations with the Toronto Police Association, where we have made negligible progress, I cannot help but wonder if they were speaking about Mike McCormack, TPA President.
Around the world, communities are adapting to some harsh fiscal realities. Policing is not exempt.
In England and Wales, they are talking about wage reductions and laying off officers.
In Camden, NJ, they have laid off half of the police force.
And I know I don’t need to tell you what is happening with public services, including policing, in the states of Wisconsin and Ohio.
While things are not quite as dire here in Toronto, there are a few realities that all public sector employers, unions and associations MUST face:
- The City of Toronto is facing a $744 million budget shortfall.
- Public sector employers, unions and associations, must adapt to this and address the rising costs of public services, including policing.
That is the reality facing the Toronto Police Services Board and the residents of the City of Toronto as we try to achieve a fair collective agreement that strikes a balance between fair compensation for members and a fair deal for taxpayers and residents of Toronto.
Is it too much to hope that the Toronto Police Association will soon consent to join us in that reality?
