NPA councillor George Affleck has denounced a deal, just endorsed by Vancouver Council, which Affleck says will give Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 15 members a 6.75% pay increase over the next four years.
"This deal is far too rich for taxpayers," Affleck said.
He said that city employees received a 4% increase in both 2010 and 2011 and have been receiving pay increases beyond the rate of inflation for close to a decade.
"When GDP growth is limited, inflation is hovering around one percent, and people's taxes are maxed. I would have liked to see an increase in the range of 0, 0, 2, and 2," he said.
Affleck said that the raise, at a time when private-sector salaries have stagnated, sends the wrong message to taxpayers.
"Public-sector unions in the province had two years of 0% increases and only now are they negotiating cooperative gains," he said. "How is it that the Vancouver unions can negotiate significantly higher settlements?"
NPA councillor Elizabeth Ball also spoke out against the deal.
She said that salaries and wages account for close to 70% of the city's operational spending.
"Last year, Vision councillors voted to increase taxes by 3.1% to accommodate budget increases," she said. "This agreement is sure to result in further tax increases and services cuts to the citizens of Vancouver."
The union represents clerical, technical, administrative, recreational, educational, cultural, residential, parking enforcement and building service positions at the City of Vancouver, the Park Board, Ray-Cam neighbourhood centre and Britannia Community Services Centre.
