ONTARIO
City actively hiring for vacant positions as union warns of burn out


CBC
Mon, November 27, 2023 

Windsor is projecting to save millions because of vacant positions that administration is promising to fill. (Dax Melmer/CBC - image credit)

The City of Windsor having a hard time filling positions across multiple departments as the union representing a majority of the workforce warns that staffing levels are now in a crisis situation.

Administration is projecting the city will spend $6.9 million less than originally budgeted on salaries and benefits in 2023 because of vacant positions.

Windsor's chief financial officer Janice Guthrie said that's more than usual and is caused in part by a higher number of retirements and newly created positions that haven't been filled.

"We're almost facing challenges across the board in keeping up with the filling of those vacancies," said Guthrie.

While some departments have not returned to full staffing because of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guthrie said others are taking on additional hours to make up for vacant positions.

"Certainly, yes, some employees are working overtime in order to make up for some of those vacancies, but that is not a long term strategy."

David Petten, president of CUPE 543 representing 1,400 city workers, said the inability to recruit and retain staff is a crisis that needs to addressed.

"I don't use that word haphazardly, but I'll tell you, it's not even my word. This is in conversations with managers. This is how they've described their particular circumstance to me, that they are in," he said.

Burned out workers feeling the pinch

Petten and Guthrie both said that the labour market has shifted after the pandemic and has made it difficult for all employers to retain and attract high quality staff.

"We have put many things into place at the city that will improve and streamline our recruitment process, our employee retention," said Guthrie.

"We have a talent management program. We have an employee appreciation awareness and we're trying to promote individuals and talents within the corporation to highlight those employees."

David Petten is the president of CUPE Local 543. He does not believe Bill 23 is good for conservation authorities, like the Essex Region Conservation Authority and also believes that the legislation will not deliver on its target.

David Petten is the president of CUPE Local 543. He does not believe Bill 23 is good for conservation authorities, like the Essex Region Conservation Authority and also believes that the legislation will not deliver on its target. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

Petten said members want a better work-life balance, increased wages, and a better work environment.

"We have a lot of members that have reached out to us and have been reaching out to us for some time now to suggest that they are burned out, that their workload is ever increasing and the reward for doing more work is more work."

The city's contract with union members under CUPE 543 and CUPE 82 will expire next year.

Petten said he's noticed a change in memberships tone when asking members about what the expectations are for what the union can achieve.

"I don't want to be flippant with this, but more or less, they'd say 'You achieve or you don't achieve. I have options."

Petten said those options among some former city staff have been other municipalities.

Guthrie highlighted the competition in the labour market for high quality candidates.

"We may not be able to get those candidates that we want to attract because there are so many other jobs out there that they're choosing to go to over and above our city."

Windsor's turnover rate near average

The number of people leaving the city by choice is slightly below average, according to a municipal benchmarking report released earlier this year.

A report looking at voluntary turnover rates released by the Municipal Benchmarking Network of Canada shows that 7.5 per cent of Windsor's permanent city staff retired or quit last year, compared to the 7.7 per cent average.

This graphic shows how Windsor compares to other cities when it comes to voluntary turnover.

This graphic shows how Windsor compares to other cities when it comes to voluntary turnover. (Municipal Benchmarking Network of Canada)

The report includes other cities like Calgary, Regina, Hamilton and Winnipeg.

Windsor's voluntary turnover rate, along with the other municipalities, has steadily increased since 2020.

The report shows that 76 people (53 per cent) of people who voluntarily left their permanent job with the city of Windsor last year decided to retire.

IT department faces 'significant challenges'

Each quarter city council receives a report that reviews how the city is performing on its budget targets.

Multiple departments outlined cost savings in the third quarter budget variance report that are the result of unfilled positions.

The city's information technology department that's responsible for supporting computer systems and security for data networks has numerous vacancies and is "experiencing significant challenges in recruiting and maintaining qualified candidates," according to the report.

It's projected to save $122,000 in salaries and benefits.

Windsor's planning and building departments are also seeing gaps in staffing.

The building department issues permits for construction, inspects construction projects and enforces Ontario's Building Code.

It's projecting a $238,000 in savings because of delayed confirmation and hiring of new positions created in the previous budget while projecting $383,000 in lost revenue because fees collected through the enforcement of standards are lower than expected.

Vacancies in the planning department

The planning department had seven new positions approved in this year's budget but there have been delays in confirming and hiring those positions, which were approved to increase the department's processing capacity.

It's projected to save $827,000 in salaries and benefits for those positions along with a few other "unexpected positions" that have not be filled, according to the report, while losing $562,000 in lost revenue in development applications.

The city's recreation and culture department will save $657,000 because of vacant positions and reduced operating hours.

The city continues to experience staff shortages in the aquatic and program staff roles and has not been able to return to full programming at all facilities.

Administration is projecting the city will lose $1.3 million in revenue because memberships, drop-in admissions and other fees collected through recreation and culture facilities have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, including Adventure Bay, which has reduced hours because of staff shortages.