Works Best Practices Work Group - Status Report

The Works and Utilities Committee reports, for the information of Council, having directed that the following communication (April 12, 1999) from the City Clerk be submitted to Council for information:

At its meeting held on April 12, 1999, the Works Best Practices Work Group had before it ClauseNo. 1 embodied in Report No. 2 of the Works and Utilities Committee, headed "Works Best Practices Program and Projected Staffing Levels - Water and Wastewater Services Division", which was adopted, as amended, by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on March 2, 3 and 4, 1999.

The Works Best Practices Work Group also had before it a communication (April 12, 1999) from Councillor Layton recommending that Recommendations Nos. (8) and (9) contained in the above-noted Clause be implemented, as follows:

"(8)The Works Best Practices Program Work Group be requested to submit a report to Council for its meeting to be held on April 13, 1999, through the Works and Utilities Committee, on how those employees who wish to be retrained can be facilitated and how this can be achieved before the change of legislation;

(9)All present employees of the Water and Wastewater Services Division, regardless of education levels, be offered appropriate training and be included in any Human Resources Plan."

The Works Best Practices Work Group reports having taken the following action and directed that this matter be forwarded to the Works and Utilities Committee for information and transmittal to City Council on April 13, 1999, as requested:

(1)requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to review and offer to those employees who wish to be retrained, the necessary upgrading to allow those employees an opportunity to achieve the math and english Grade 12 educational level which will permit them to pursue and qualify for the Industrial Mechanic Millwright Apprenticeship Program;

(2)decided to discuss in detail at its next meeting the implementation of Recommendation No.(9) noted above, as well as qualifying and defining what constitutes appropriate retraining; and

(3)requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to report at its next meeting on the number of long term employees who may have some type of barrier that will not permit them to achieve the necessary educational level to qualify for the proposed positions; and the number of long term employees who may have been denied access to the Skills Enhancement Program.