Item - 2012.GM12.21
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on April 10, 2012 with amendments.
- This item was considered by Government Management Committee on March 28, 2012 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on April 10, 2012.
GM12.21 - Council-Directed Follow Up to Community Development Committee Item CD10.2 - the Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
City Council Decision
City Council on April 10 and 11, 2012, adopted the following:
1. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on the creation of Toronto Self-Sufficiency Standard to be utilized in the awarding of any future employment agreements when or if contacts are issued in the future.
A Toronto Self-Sufficiency Standard would be a tool that:
a. has real costs for basic needs, including housing, food, transportation, health care, household and personal care items, and taxes.
b. calculates a no-frills budget, not accounting for savings, the monthly cost of debt, or an emergency that would draw on financial resources.
c. is geographically and family composition specific; in Toronto, the Standard has been across different family types in different geographic neighbourhoods.
2. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Employee and Labour Relations Committee taking into account the deputations and submissions heard on the "Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs" specific to the cleaning industry, and how it could be proposed the cleaning industry could offer much better quality jobs than it does now. Within the parameters of the report should be recommendations the Committee can consider implementing to create concerted policy actions so jobs held by some City of Toronto employees which are considered "lower wage" may be transformed over time to safe, good quality jobs that are paid living wages.
3. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee reviewing the dynamics at play around economic descriptions of wages people receive in terms of "lower wage", "fair wage", and a "living wage". The report should consider specific information on the differences between each of the terms.
The report should further explore the possibilities of implementing a "Living Wage" for the City of Toronto, how "Living Wage" policies have been created, and implemented in other municipalities across Canada.
4. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Economic Development Committee on strategies for bolstering the path toward self-sufficiency in Toronto which require attention in two areas: on the one hand, we must build a skilled workforce. On the other, we must ensure there are good, quality job opportunities available and there are natural linkages between workforce development, education, and training opportunities, and jobs to build strong communities in Toronto; such report to:
a. Ensure advice is given in the review of support programs for the hardest to employ—those with the greatest barriers to securing work—are implemented and funded to scale. These programs include the key workforce education and training programs of transitional jobs, job training and economic development grants, and any employment opportunity grant program.
b. Blend adult basic skills education and have the Community Development and Recreation Committee consider if it is appropriate for City of Toronto through City Council to request the Province of Ontario to review English language services with postsecondary education and training, including more emphasis on advisory services, college success courses, peer support, and other student support to ensure stronger communities are developed in Toronto by assisting in advancing stronger employment opportunities.
c. Provide career pathways to explicitly prepare people for the next level of education and employment.
d. Ensure that flexible, need-based financial aid is available to adult learners in a variety of educational/training arrangements (e.g., part-time students who work).
e. Seek ways to strengthen the alignment between workforce development and economic development.
f. Create and support regional, sector-based partnerships among businesses, educational agencies, and workforce organizations to ensure that education and training reflect what is valued in the labour market and help lead to family-supporting careers.
g. Develop income support strategies such as stipends, scholarships, or needs-related payments that support City of Toronto employees adult learners while they participate in City of Toronto supported training or education programs.
h. Attract and support quality jobs that allow workers to support their families through fair wages, paid time off, and benefits such as health insurance and retirement savings to promote financially stable families and communities.
5. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on opportunities and a strategy to address the following delinquencies in the social support system. Such a review should make recommendations as to whether the City of Toronto, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada should be requested to make the necessary legislative changes to deal with noted delinquencies:
Strategies for strengthening Toronto's income supports system include the following:
a. Create a service delivery system that offers multiple points of entry and access to reach all families in need, including effective use of technology and expanded relationships with local community-based organizations for education and enrollment assistance.
b. Streamline and simplify existing policies by expanding local office business hours, providing language assistance, increasing or eliminating asset limits, and eliminating duplicative documentation and verification requirements.
c. Increase benefit levels to reflect actual costs for goods and services, and address the gap between existing wages and the cost of basic needs.
d. Adjust eligibility levels to allow families to increase wages without losing vital supports until income achieves a level of wage adequacy.
e. Create asset-building opportunities for families and communities through the expansion of matched savings programs, financial education incentives, and children’s savings accounts for all born in Toronto
f. Protect consumers from financial products that erode financial stability and ensure they are fully informed by further regulating predatory lending (payday loans and longer-term installment loans), limiting credit card marketing to college students, clarifying risky aspects of mortgages, and creating transparency in the mortgage lending process.
g. Promote the development of financial products - like no-fee savings accounts - that will give low-income individuals the opportunity to participate in mainstream financial services and acquire the skills necessary to build assets for the future.
6. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Government Management Committee on the feasibility of not allowing the successful proponent of future employee related contracts to be able in turn to issue a sub-contract out to hire employees.
7. City Council direct staff, as part of contract management, to ensure all future multi-year procurement contracts have an evaluation annually as part of the assessment of the contract extension.
8. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the September 20, 2012 meeting of the Government Management Committee on the performance of Impact in Toronto Police Service stations and advise on whether to extend the contract in 2013 or 2014 or to put out a new call for proposals.
9. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to clarify in the call for proposals the contractor's obligations under Part XIX of the Employment Standards Act and associated Regulations.
10. City Council direct that prior to the awarding of any further cleaning contracts, the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer bring the results of the call for proposals to the Government Management Committee for approval.
11. City Council direct that subcontracting in cleaning contracts is not permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances and the subcontracting has been approved by City Council.
12. City Council direct the City Manager to conduct a full service review on all cleaning contracts, including an analysis of their cost effectiveness, prior to the approval of the 2013 Budget.
13. City Council approve the following, in principle, and refer it to the City Manager for a report to City Council, through the Government Management Committee:
"That all future proposal calls for cleaning contracts be reviewed by the Government Management Committee prior to their issuance to ensure that:
a. all bidders provide a full history of their company's record of employment and health and safety standards compliance; and
b. that these performance standards are thoroughly examined in the evaluation process."
Background Information (Committee)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-45895.pdf
Communications (Committee)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/gm/comm/communicationfile-29544.pdf
(March 28, 2012) Letter from Beixi Liu (GM.New.GM12.21.2)
(February 13, 2012) Memo from Ritch Whyman, forwarding it from Bruce Price, Legal Counsel, SEIU Local 2 (GM.New.GM12.21.3)
(March 28, 2012) Letter from Valerie Hyman, Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC) (GM.New.GM12.21.4)
Motions (City Council)
That City Council refer the Item to the Deputy City Manager Cluster A for consideration as part of the ongoing work to create an Economic Development Strategy and for consideration and implementation of the Workforce Development Strategy that will include measures to create high quality jobs in Toronto.
Vote (Refer Item) Apr-11-2012 11:56 AM
| Result: Lost | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Ainslie - motion 1 as amended |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 18 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Gary Crawford, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Norman Kelly, Giorgio Mammoliti, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
| Total members that voted No: 23 | Members that voted No are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that were Absent: 4 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Ron Moeser, Anthony Perruzza |
That Motion 1 by Councillor Ainslie be amended to reads as follows:
That City Council refer the Item:
a. to the Deputy City Manager Cluster A for consideration as part of the ongoing work to create an Economic Development Strategy and for consideration and implementation of the Workforce Development Strategy that will include measures to create high quality jobs in Toronto; and
b. to the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to consider changes to the bidding process that will eliminate the subcontracting out of work to companies that have mistreated their employees and that includes ways to monitor workplace and treatment of contracted employees and that a status report be provided to the Government Management Committee within 60 days.
Vote (Amend Motion) Apr-11-2012 11:55 AM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Shiner - motion 2 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 26 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, John Filion, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Norman Kelly, Mike Layton, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Karen Stintz, Michael Thompson, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 15 | Members that voted No are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Sarah Doucette, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Adam Vaughan |
| Total members that were Absent: 4 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Ron Moeser, Anthony Perruzza |
That:
1. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the September 20, 2012 meeting of the Government Management Committee on the performance of Impact in Toronto Police Service stations and advise on whether to extend the contract in 2013 or 2014 or to put out a new call for proposals.
2. City Council direct the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to clarify in the call for proposals the contractor's obligations under Part XIX of the Employment Standards Act and associated Regulations.
3. City Council direct that prior to the awarding of any further cleaning contracts, the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer bring the results of the call for proposals to the Government Management Committee for approval.
4. City Council direct that subcontracting in cleaning contracts is not permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances and the subcontracting has been approved by City Council.
5. City Council direct the City Manager to conduct a full service review on all cleaning contracts, including an analysis of their cost effectiveness, prior to the approval of the 2013 Budget.
6. City Council approve the following, in principle, and refer it to the City Manager for a report to City Council, through the Government Management Committee:
"That all future proposal calls for cleaning contracts be reviewed by the Government Management Committee prior to their issuance to ensure that:
a. all bidders provide a full history of their company's record of employment and health and safety standards compliance; and
b. that these performance standards are thoroughly examined in the evaluation process."
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Apr-11-2012 4:07 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Bailao - motion 3, Part 3 only |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 26 | Members that voted Yes are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 15 | Members that voted No are Paul Ainslie, Gary Crawford, Mike Del Grande, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Giorgio Mammoliti, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
| Total members that were Absent: 4 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Norman Kelly, Ron Moeser |
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Apr-11-2012 4:08 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Bailao - balance of motion 3 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 31 | Members that voted Yes are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Cesar Palacio, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 10 | Members that voted No are Paul Ainslie, Frank Di Giorgio, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Giorgio Mammoliti, Frances Nunziata (Chair), John Parker, Michael Thompson |
| Total members that were Absent: 4 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Norman Kelly, Ron Moeser |
That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the appropriate Standing Committees in September 2012 with a summary of the programs or services that are being considered for contracting out in 2013, such report to include a business case, expected scope, social impacts, deliverables and timelines.
Challenged by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam
Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Apr-11-2012 4:09 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Adopt the item as amended |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 29 | Members that voted Yes are Maria Augimeri, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Cesar Palacio, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 12 | Members that voted No are Paul Ainslie, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Doug Ford, Rob Ford, Doug Holyday, Giorgio Mammoliti, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), John Parker, David Shiner, Michael Thompson |
| Total members that were Absent: 4 | Members that were absent are Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Norman Kelly, Ron Moeser |
Speaker Nunziata proposed that Councillor Davis' speaking time be extended so that she could complete her remarks.
Vote (Extend Speaking Time) Apr-11-2012 12:27 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Extend Councillor Davis' speaking time |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 26 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Janet Davis, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Rob Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Doug Holyday, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 19 | Members that were absent are Maria Augimeri, Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Doug Ford, Mark Grimes, Norman Kelly, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, David Shiner, Michael Thompson, Adam Vaughan |
Speaker Nunziata proposed that Councillor McConnell's speaking time be extended so that she could complete her remarks.
Vote (Extend Speaking Time) Apr-11-2012 3:23 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GM12.21 - Extend Councillor McConnell's speaking time |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 30 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Shelley Carroll, Raymond Cho, Josh Colle, Gary Crawford, Janet Davis, Glenn De Baeremaeker, Mike Del Grande, Frank Di Giorgio, Sarah Doucette, Paula Fletcher, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Mark Grimes, Doug Holyday, Mike Layton, Chin Lee, Giorgio Mammoliti, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Mary-Margaret McMahon, Joe Mihevc, Peter Milczyn, Frances Nunziata (Chair), Cesar Palacio, John Parker, James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 1 | Members that voted No are David Shiner |
| Total members that were Absent: 14 | Members that were absent are Maria Augimeri, Michelle Berardinetti, Vincent Crisanti, John Filion, Rob Ford, Norman Kelly, Gloria Lindsay Luby, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Ron Moeser, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Karen Stintz, Michael Thompson, Adam Vaughan |
GM12.21 - Council-Directed Follow Up to Community Development Committee Item CD10.2 - the Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
Committee Recommendations
The Government Management Committee recommends that:
1. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on the creation of Toronto Self-Sufficiency Standard to be utilized in the awarding of any future employment agreements when or if contacts are issued in the future.
A Toronto Self-Sufficiency Standard would be a tool that:
a. has real costs for basic needs, including housing, food, transportation, health care, household and personal care items, and taxes.
b. calculates a no-frills budget, not accounting for savings, the monthly cost of debt, or an emergency that would draw on financial resources.
c. is geographically and family composition specific; in Toronto, the Standard has been across different family types in different geographic neighbourhoods.
2. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Employee and Labour Relations Committee taking into account the deputations and submissions heard on the "Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs" specific to the cleaning industry, and how it could be proposed the cleaning industry could offer much better quality jobs than it does now.
Within the parameters of the report should be recommendations the Committee can consider implementing to create concerted policy actions so jobs held by some City of Toronto employees which are considered "lower wage" may be transformed over time to safe, good quality jobs that are paid living wages.
3. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee reviewing the dynamics at play around economic descriptions of wages people receive in terms of "lower wage", "fair wage", and a "living wage". The report should consider specific information on the differences between each of the terms.
The report should further explore the possibilities of implementing a "Living Wage" for the City of Toronto, how "Living Wage" policies have been created, and implemented in other municipalities across Canada.
4. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Economic Development Committee on strategies for bolstering the path toward self-sufficiency in Toronto which require attention in two areas: on the one hand, we must build a skilled workforce. On the other, we must ensure there are good, quality job opportunities available and there are natural linkages between workforce development, education, and training opportunities, and jobs to build strong communities in Toronto. It is recommended the report:
a. Ensure advice is given in the review of support programs for the hardest to employ—those with the greatest barriers to securing work—are implemented and funded to scale. These programs include the key workforce education and training programs of transitional jobs, job training and economic development grants, and any employment opportunity grant program.
b. Blend adult basic skills education and have the Community Development and Recreation Committee consider if it is appropriate for City of Toronto through City Council to request the Province of Ontario to review English language services with postsecondary education and training, including more emphasis on advisory services, college success courses, peer support, and other student support to ensure stronger communities are developed in Toronto by assisting in advancing stronger employment opportunities
c. Provide career pathways to explicitly prepare people for the next level of education and employment.
d. Ensure that flexible, need-based financial aid is available to adult learners in a variety of educational/training arrangements (e.g., part-time students who work).
e. Seek ways to strengthen the alignment between workforce development and economic development.
f. Create and support regional, sector-based partnerships among businesses, educational agencies, and workforce organizations to ensure that education and training reflect what is valued in the labour market and help lead to family-supporting careers.
g. Develop income support strategies such as stipends, scholarships, or needs-related payments that support City of Toronto employees adult learners while they participate in City of Toronto supported training or education programs.
h. Attract and support quality jobs that allow workers to support their families through fair wages, paid time off, and benefits such as health insurance and retirement savings to promote financially stable families and communities.
5. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on opportunities and a strategy to address the following delinquencies in the social support system. Such a review should make recommendations as to whether the City of Toronto, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada should be requested to make the necessary legislative changes to deal with noted delinquencies:
Strategies for strengthening Toronto's income supports system include the following:
a. Create a service delivery system that offers multiple points of entry and access to reach all families in need, including effective use of technology and expanded relationships with local community-based organizations for education and enrollment assistance.
b. Streamline and simplify existing policies by expanding local office business hours, providing language assistance, increasing or eliminating asset limits, and eliminating duplicative documentation and verification requirements.
c. Increase benefit levels to reflect actual costs for goods and services, and address the gap between existing wages and the cost of basic needs.
d. Adjust eligibility levels to allow families to increase wages without losing vital supports until income achieves a level of wage adequacy.
e. Create asset-building opportunities for families and communities through the expansion of matched savings programs, financial education incentives, and children’s savings accounts for all born in Toronto
f. Protect consumers from financial products that erode financial stability and ensure they are fully informed by further regulating predatory lending (payday loans and longer-term installment loans), limiting credit card marketing to college students, clarifying risky aspects of mortgages, and creating transparency in the mortgage lending process.
g. Promote the development of financial products - like no-fee savings accounts - that will give low-income individuals the opportunity to participate in mainstream financial services and acquire the skills necessary to build assets for the future.
6. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Government Management Committee on the feasibility of not allowing the successful proponent of future employee related contracts to be able in turn to issue a sub-contract out to hire employees.
7. City Council direct staff, as part of contract management, to ensure all future multi-year procurement contracts have an evaluation annually as part of the assessment of the contract extension.
Decision Advice and Other Information
The following motion by Councillor McConnell was voted on and lost:
1. That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the September 2012 meeting of the Government Management Committee on the performance of Impact in Toronto Police Service stations and advise on whether to extend the contract in 2013 or 2014 or to put out a new call for proposals.
2. That the call for proposals, clarify the contractor's obligations under Part XIX of the Employment Standards Act and associated Regulations.
3. That prior to the awarding of any further cleaning contracts, the results of the call for proposals be brought for approval to the Government Management Committee.
4. That subcontracting in cleaning contracts not be permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances and not without City approval.
5. That a full service review be conducted prior to the approval of the 2013 Budget on all cleaning contracts including an analysis of their cost effectiveness.
6. That the Committee approve the following in principle and refer it to staff for a report:
"That all future proposal calls for cleaners be reviewed by the Government Management Committee prior to their issuance to ensure that:
a. all bidders provide a full history of their company's record of employment and health and safety standards compliance; and
b. that these performance standards are thoroughly examined by staff in the evaluation process."
Origin
Summary
This report provides the additional information related to CD10.2, The Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs, that was requested by Council at its Meeting of March 5 and 6, 2012.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-45895.pdf
Communications
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/gm/comm/communicationfile-29544.pdf
(March 28, 2012) Letter from Beixi Liu (GM.New.GM12.21.2)
(February 13, 2012) Memo from Ritch Whyman, forwarding it from Bruce Price, Legal Counsel, SEIU Local 2 (GM.New.GM12.21.3)
(March 28, 2012) Letter from Valerie Hyman, Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC) (GM.New.GM12.21.4)
Speakers
Robert Dryden
Ritch Whyman, SEIU Local 2 Justice for Janitors
Roberta King, Cleaner, Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Tatchiana Davy
Juliet Flowers
Valerie Hyman, Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC)
Preethy Sivakumar, Coordinator, Good Jobs for All
Councillor Janet Davis
Councillor Anna Bailão
Councillor Gord Perks
Motions
1. That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on the creation of Toronto Self-Sufficiency Standard to be utilized in the awarding of any future employment agreements when or if contacts are issued in the future.
A Toronto Self-Sufficiency Standard would be a tool that:
- has real costs for basic needs, including housing, food, transportation, health care, household and personal care items, and taxes.
- calculates a no-frills budget, not accounting for savings, the monthly cost of debt, or an emergency that would draw on financial resources.
- is geographically and family composition specific; in Toronto, the Standard has been across different family types in different geographic neighbourhoods
That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Employee and Labour Relations Committee taking into account the deputations and submissions heard on the "Social Impact of Lower Wage Jobs" specific to the cleaning industry, and how it could be proposed the cleaning industry could offer much better quality jobs than it does now.
Within the parameters of the report should be recommendations the Committee can consider implementing to create concerted policy actions so jobs held by some City of Toronto employees which are considered "lower wage" may be transformed over time to safe, good quality jobs that are paid living wages.
Toronto workers face three sets of challenges in securing good jobs that set them on the path to self-sufficiency.
First, both short- and long-term economic shifts have led to a less stable job market and fewer job openings. Second, these shifts have led to an increase in low-wage jobs. Finally, many workers have education and skills deficits as well as other barriers to employment that leave them ill-equipped to advance up the career ladder into better-paying jobs.
Recommendation:
That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee reviewing the dynamics at play around economic descriptions of wages people receive in terms of "lower wage", "fair wage", and a "living wage". The report should consider specific information on the differences between each of the terms.
The report should further explore the possibilities of implementing a "Living Wage" for the City of Toronto, how "Living Wage" policies have been created, and implemented in other municipalities across Canada.
That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Economic Development Committee on strategies for bolstering the path toward self-sufficiency in Toronto which require attention in two areas: on the one hand, we must build a skilled workforce. On the other, we must ensure there are good, quality job opportunities available and there are natural linkages between workforce development, education, and training opportunities, and jobs to build strong communities in Toronto
It is recommended the report:
a. Ensure advice is given in the review of support programs for the hardest to employ—those with the greatest barriers to securing work—are implemented and funded to scale. These programs include the key workforce education and training programs of transitional jobs, job training and economic development grants, and any employment opportunity grant program.
b. Blend adult basic skills education and have the Community Development and Recreation Committee consider if it is appropriate for City of Toronto through City Council to request the Province of Ontario to review English language services with postsecondary education and training, including more emphasis on advisory services, college success courses, peer support, and other student support to ensure stronger communities are developed in Toronto by assisting in advancing stronger employment opportunities
c. Provide career pathways to explicitly prepare people for the next level of education and employment.
d. Ensure that flexible, need-based financial aid is available to adult learners in a variety of educational/training arrangements (e.g., part-time students who work).
e. Seek ways to strengthen the alignment between workforce development and economic development.
f. Create and support regional, sector-based partnerships among businesses, educational agencies, and workforce organizations to ensure that education and training reflect what is valued in the labour market and help lead to family-supporting careers.
g. Develop income support strategies such as stipends, scholarships, or needs-related payments that support City of Toronto employees adult learners while they participate in City of Toronto supported training or education programs.
h. Attract and support quality jobs that allow workers to support their families through fair wages, paid time off, and benefits such as health insurance and retirement savings to promote financially stable families and communities.
That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Community Development and Recreation Committee on opportunities and a strategy to address the following delinquencies in the social support system. Such a review should make recommendations as to whether the City of Toronto, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada should be requested to make the necessary legislative changes to deal with noted delinquencies:
Strategies for strengthening Toronto's income supports system include:
• Create a service delivery system that offers multiple points of entry and access to reach all families in need, including effective use of technology and expanded relationships with local community-based organizations for education and enrollment assistance.
• Streamline and simplify existing policies by expanding local office business hours, providing language assistance, increasing or eliminating asset limits, and eliminating duplicative documentation and verification requirements.
• Increase benefit levels to reflect actual costs for goods and services, and address the gap between existing wages and the cost of basic needs.
• Adjust eligibility levels to allow families to increase wages without losing vital supports until income achieves a level of wage adequacy.
• Create asset-building opportunities for families and communities through the expansion of matched savings programs, financial education incentives, and children’s savings accounts for all born in Toronto
• Protect consumers from financial products that erode financial stability and ensure they are fully informed by further regulating predatory lending (payday loans and longer-term installment loans), limiting credit card marketing to college students, clarifying risky aspects of mortgages, and creating transparency in the mortgage lending process.
• Promote the development of financial products - like no-fee savings accounts - that will give low-income individuals the opportunity to participate in mainstream financial services and acquire the skills necessary to build assets for the future.
That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Government Management Committee on the feasibility of not allowing the successful proponent of future employee related contracts to be able in turn to issue a sub-contract out to hire employees.
1. That City Council direct the City Manager to report to the September 2012 meeting of the Government Management Committee on the performance of Impact in Toronto Police Service stations and advise on whether to extend the contract in 2013 or 2014 or to put out a new call for proposals.
2. That the Committee approve the following in principle and refer it to staff for a report:
"That all future proposal calls for cleaners be reviewed by the Government Management Committee prior to their issuance to ensure that
a. all bidders provide a full history of their company's record of employment and health and safety standards compliance; and
b. that these performance standards are thoroughly examined by staff in the evaluation process."
3. That the call for proposals, clarify the contractor's obligations under Part XIX of the Employment Standards Act and associated Regulations.
4. That prior to the awarding of any further cleaning contracts, the results of the call for proposals be brought for approval to the Government Management Committee.
5. That subcontracting in cleaning contracts not be permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances and not without City approval.
6. That a full service review be conducted prior to the approval of the 2013 Budget on all cleaning contracts including an analysis of their cost effectiveness.
That staff, as part of contract management, ensure all future multi-year procurement contracts have an evaluation annually as part of the assessment of the contract extension..