The City of Windsor is issuing an request for proposal to determine the cost of outsourcing caretaking jobs throughout city facilities.
With a 6-5 vote council decided to move forward with analyzing what savings could be found without laying off any full-time staff. This comes after a similar vote was defeated in November of 2015.
The unions were angry the issue was back on the table after it was already voted on. However according to the city clerk since the previous motion did not include the provision to keep any employees a reconsideration motion was not needed.
CUPE Local 543 President Mark Vander Voort says if even if full-time employees are maintained this completely ignores the 49 regular part-time employees.
"We have a whole bunch of regular part-time employees that have had a living wage and pretty much full-time hours for many years now might be out on the street," says Vander Voort.
A report will come back to council with the responses to the RFP and administration's analysis of the potential savings.
Councillor Joanne Gignac says they have a 'fiduciary responsibility' to review the services and make ensure they are making the best use of tax dollars.
"In order for us to have any concrete idea as to whether or not contracting out will save the corporation dollars we have to issue the RFP," says Gignac. "We'll check the figures, we'll check the efficiencies and if it makes sense we'll move forward."
If council decides to move forward with outsourcing at that time the union will have the opportunity to make a formal response before a final decision is made.
