Impact of the City's Downsizing and Restructuring on

Employment Equity Designated Groups and Full-Time

Access and Equity Staff

The Corporate Services Committee recommends the adoption of Recommendations Nos. (1) and (2) of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity, embodied in the communication from the City Clerk, Task Force on Community Access and Equity, viz:

"(1)the process for job competitions for remaining senior management, middle management and supervisory staff be monitored by the City's human rights staff to ensure compliance with access and equity goals and objectives; and

(2)departments be requested to develop downsizing plans with specific access and equity goals to be reported on to the Corporate Services Committee for review before implementation." ;

and reports having requested the Executive Director of Human Resources to submit a report thereon directly to Council for its meeting scheduled to be held on July 29, 1998.

The Corporate Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having:

(1)established a Personnel Sub-Committee to deal with personnel policies and practices, chaired by Councillor Dick O'Brien, and composed of Councillors Anne Johnston, Doug Mahood, Joe Mihevc and Councillor Kyle Rae; and

(2)requested the Executive Director of Human Resources to develop the mandate and Terms of Reference for such Sub-Committee; and report thereon to the meeting of the Corporate Services Committee scheduled to be held on September 14, 1998.

The Corporate Services Committee submits the following communication (July17, 1998) from the Interim Contact, Task Force on Community Access and Equity:

Recommendations:

The Task Force on Community Access and Equity on July 16, 1998, recommended to the Corporate Services Committee and Council that:

(1)the process for job competitions for remaining senior management, middle management and supervisory staff be monitored by the City's human rights staff to ensure compliance with access and equity goals and objectives; and

(2)departments be requested to develop downsizing plans with specific access and equity goals to be reported on to the Corporate Services Committee for review before implementation.

The Task Force reports, for the information of the Corporate Services Committee and Council, also having:

(1)recommended to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team and Council that:

(i)all of the City's Access and Equity staff report on an interim basis to the Chief Administrative Officer until the Task Force on Community Access and Equity has completed its work; and

(ii)there be no reduction of access and equity resources until such time as the Task Force has completed its work; and

(2)requested the Co-Chairs of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity to express the Task Force's concerns to the Mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Commissioner of Corporate Services, the Executive Director of Human Resources and the Amalgamation Office; and encouraged them to take speedy and appropriate action regarding these concerns outlined in the communication (July 13, 1998) from Councillor Joe Mihevc, Co-Chair of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity,

Background:

The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a communication (July 13, 1998) from Councillor Joe Mihevc, Co-Chair of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity, headed "Concerns regarding Employment Equity and Access and Equity Resources"; respecting the potential negative impact of the City's downsizing and restructuring on employment equity designated groups and full-time Access and Equity staff.

(Communication dated July 13, 1998 addressed to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity fromCouncillor Joe Mihevc, Co-Chair of the Task Force onCommunity Access and Equity, headed "Concerns regardingEmployment Equity and Access and Equity Resources")

I am putting the above subject on the agenda for our July 16, 1998 meeting because I am concerned about the potential for negative impact of the City's downsizing and restructuring on employment equity designated groups and full-time Access and Equity staff.

Restructuring and Downsizing:

As you may know, the City has recently approved its budget and City departments are implementing restructuring plans. Part of the restructuring requires competitions for senior, middle management and supervisory positions. It also calls for staff reductions that vary from department to department but, essentially, over 1,000 City staff are to be downsized this year.

To my knowledge, there are no plans for ensuring these activities are done in compliance with employment equity considerations even though Council has adopted recommendations instructing staff to do so. To confirm my point of view, I have received a number of concerns on this matter and, given the City's movement on filling management and supervisory positions, I am worried that employment equity objectives are not being used and that this may have an adverse impact on employment equity designated groups. The same is the case for the City's downsizing: without specific equity strategies, I am concerned that there may be a disproportionate negative impact on employment equity designated groups.

Access and Equity Staff:

The implications for the City's current organizational restructuring are considerable. I understand that structures, management positions and reporting relationships are being determined across the organization but that little is being done in the area of access and equity. This, I am sure, has left staff who work in this area anxious about employment possibilities with the City and may result in their leaving access and equity work in order to take current job postings. The impact of this could be rather devastating resulting in the loss of institutional memory, insight, experience and professionals dedicated to equality issues. As you can imagine, this could have severe implications for the work of the Task Force.

Recommendations:

To address the above issues in both a timely and coordinated manner, I am making the following recommendations:

(1)that the Task Force on Community Access and Equity, through its Co-Chairs, express its concerns on the above maters to the Mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Commissioner of Corporate Services and the Executive Director of Human Resources and the Amalgamation Office, encouraging them to take speedy and appropriate action regarding these concerns;

(2)that the Task Force on Community Access and Equity recommend to the Corporate Services Committee at its next meeting on July 20, 1998, the following:

(i)that the process for job competitions for remaining senior management, middle management and supervisory staff be monitored by the City's human rights staff to ensure compliance with access and equity goals and objectives;

(ii)that departments undertake to develop downsizing plans with specific access and equity goals to be reported on to the Corporate Services Committee for review before implementation;

(3)that the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team recommend to Council that:

(i)all of the City's Access and Equity staff report on an interim basis to the Chief Administrative Officer until the Task Force has completed its work; and

(ii)there be no reduction of access and equity resources until such time as the Task Force on Community Access and Equity has completed its work.