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Duly Quoted: John Filion
“I think most residents of the city would be alarmed to know that, as the rules now stand, an impulsive mayor could shut down the city without ever coming to council.”
—Councillor John Filion (Ward 23, Willowdale), explaining his proposal that would require the mayor to get city council’s approval before locking out City workers. Currently, the labour relations committee can give lockouts the go-ahead, and Filion thinks that’s worrying, since this committee is dominated by Ford allies. The process is the same as it was during David Miller’s time as mayor. The president of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 416, Mark Ferguson, told the Star that he’d heard Ford is planning a lockout from a “very highly placed individual,” while Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday denied there’s been any talk of one. This week the City began meeting with CUPE Locals 416 and 79 about their agreements, which expire on December 31.