Environics cupe toronto survey on labour issues report mar 15-12

CUPE TorontoWinter 2012 Public Services/Labour

Relations Survey – Wave Four(March 9-12, 2012)

REPORT: March 13, 2012

CUPE Winter 2012 Public Services/Labour Relations Survey – Wave Four

MethodologyThis research project involves a series of weekly telephone tracking surveys, each conducted among 600 adult Torontonians. The first wave was fielded January 10-13, the second January 24 and 27, the third wave February 10-13, and this fourth wave was fielded between March 9-12, 2012. . The margin of error for a sample of 600 is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points (at the 95% confidence level). The sampling method was designed to complete 600 interviews within households randomly selected across the City of Toronto .

In this report, results are expressed as percentages unless otherwise noted. Results may not add to 100% due to rounding or multiple responses.

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Methodology


Based on what you know about Mayor Rob Ford’s time on the job, would you say that, overall, he is on the right track or the wrong track in addressing Toronto’s priorities? Do you feel that way strongly?

Half of residents say Mayor Ford is on the wrong track in addressing the city’s priorities, including four in ten who feel strongly

In addressing Toronto’s priorities, Mayor Ford is on the…

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About half of Torontonians continue to believe Mayor Ford is on the wrong track in addressing Toronto’s priorities, four in ten strongly. These results have been fairly stable over the four 2012 waves.

Feeling that Mayor Ford is on the wrong track remains highest among those in high income households (58% of those with $100,000 or more). Men are more likely than women to think Ford is on the right track (47% vs. 35%), but there is no gender difference in thinking he is wrong; women are more likely not to know. Opinion continues to be divided geographically, with majority belief that Mayor Ford is on the wrong track among residents of Toronto/East York, and around half of residents of the outer boroughs thinking he is on the right track. That the mayor is taking the wrong direction is most pronounced among residents who are dissatisfied with current City services, those who use libraries (even rarely), and those aware of the contract negotiations.


Three in four Torontonians remain satisfied with the programs and services provided by the City of Toronto

Generally speaking, are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the programs and services provided by the City of Toronto?

Satisfaction with City of Toronto programs and services

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As in previous waves, around three-quarters of Torontonians are very (17%) or somewhat (61%) satisfied with City programs and services. Being somewhat satisfied remains the most common response across population subgroups. Net satisfaction is similar across the city but somewhat higher in Etobicoke, and in this wave is higher among those with household incomes of $60,000 or more and those under age 65. Satisfaction is highest among those with contract negotiation awareness (83%), those who tend to side with the City in labour disputes (84%) and those who say that Mayor Ford in on the right track (84%, compared to those who feel he is wrong, 75%)


Half of Torontonians believe that frontline workers are critically important to the quality of City services

When you think of the City of Toronto services and programs you ever use, how important are the frontline workers providing the service to the quality of the service? Are they…

Importance of frontline workers to the quality of City services used

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Nine in ten Toronto residents say that the frontline workers are either critically (54%) or somewhat (37%) important to the quality of the City services they provide. This is the dominant view across all subgroups. That municipal workers are critically important to the quality of services provided is strongest among residents of Toronto/East York (64%), those who use libraries frequently (63%), those who generally side with the workers (70%), those who think Mayor Ford is on the wrong track (65%) and those who think that a strike could be justifiable (62%). There is no difference by age or gender, or by whether someone owns or rents their home.


Most Torontonians believe that cutting 20% of frontline workers would have a negative impact on service quality

Mayor Ford has promised to cut the number of frontline municipal workers by about 20%. If one fifth of the people providing municipal services were cut, what impact would it have on the quality of the services and programs offered by the city? Would it have a very negative impact, a somewhat negative impact or no impact at all?

Impact of cutting 20% of frontline works on quality of services and programs

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Eight in ten Torontonians feel there would be a negative impact to the quality of municipal services if Mayor Ford cuts 20% of frontline workers; one-third feel the impact would be very negative. Fewer than one in six believe such cuts would be without impact and the rest are uncertain what the effect would be.

Those most likely to predict a negative impact are women, those in households with incomes under $60,000, frequent or sometime users of libraries, those who are on the workers’ side in the dispute or who think that a strike might be justifiable, and those who think Mayor Ford is on the wring track. Thinking that the impact would be negative overall is similar across the city, but thinking it would be very negative is higher in Toronto/East York than elsewhere. Although the still majority of men say there would be a negative impact, men are much more likely (20%) than women (9%) to think there would be no impact.


Awareness of contract negotiations has decreased since February

(March 9-11 and February 10-13: Negotiations have been underway) (Previous waves: Currently negotiations are underway) between the City of Toronto and its front line workers whose contract s expired on December 31, 2011. Have you heard or read anything about these negotiations?

Have heard/read anything about contract negotiations

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Awareness of the contract negotiations has decreased noticeably since the last wave, as the media has moved on to other topics. Now just under six in ten Torontonians recall reading or hearing something about the City-worker negotiations. Awareness is similar geographically and continues to be higher among those in the highest education and income brackets (and homeowners have higher awareness than renters). The gender difference is back in this wave, with men being more likely to have heard something (64%) than women (49%).

Awareness of the negotiations is highest among those with a union member in the household, those who sympathize with the City, and those who have strong opinions about whether Ford is on the right or wrong track (compared to those who do not feel strongly).


The most common perceptions about the negotiations is that they are ongoing and the union is resisting clawbacks

What do you recall reading or hearing about the negotiations between the City of Toronto and the front line workers? SUBSAMPLE: Those who recall hearing or seeing something about the negotiations

Jan. 10-13 2012

N=333%

Jan. 24-27 2012N=385

%

Mar. 9-12 2012

N=353%

The unions are resisting the claw-backs to wages/benefits 9 10 18

Negotiations are ongoing 7 10 17

Union will call for a strike 20 17 11

Negotiations are at a stalemate 20 24 9

City wants to lay off workers - - 7

City not willing to concede anything/not acting in good faith 6 7 6

City wants to privatize/cut some services 6 5 4

Union demands unreasonable/financially untenable 4 6 4

City trying to work w/ budget/no money for wage increases - - 4

The workers will be locked out 13 14 3

It will go to arbitration 2 3 3

Other (<2% each) 6 4 5

DK 9 11 14

When asked what they have heard about the contract negotiations, Torontonians are most likely to mention that the union is resisting claw-backs to wages or benefits, or that the negotiations are ongoing (although one in ten still believe there is a stalemate). There are far fewer mentions now that the City will lock out the workers, and fewer mentions that the union will call for a strike. There are a couple of new mentions: that the City wants to lay off workers (7%), and that the City is trying to work within a budget and there is no money for wage increases (4%).

Mentions are generally similar across subgroups.


Torontonians are divided about the side to support in a City-worker labour dispute, with the City having a slight edge

When there is a dispute between the City of Toronto and its frontline workers, whose side are you usually on? Would you say that you sympathize more with the City or do you sympathize more with the frontline municipal workers?

In City-worker labour dispute, generally sympathize more with…

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When asked whose side they are usually on when there is a dispute between the City of Toronto and its frontline workers, just over four in ten Torontonians indicate they generally support the City; four in ten say the workers, and the balance (one in six) either say they are neutral or are unable to choose a side. Siding with the City increases along with an increase in household income, and is higher among men (51%) than women (37%), homeowners (49%) than tenants (35%), and among university graduates (49%) than those with high school or less (35%) or college (39%). While support for one side or the other is not different geographically, neutrality is lowest in Etobicoke. Sympathizing with the City is linked to being satisfied with city services, to having no union members in the household, to having heard something of the contract negotiations, with thinking strikes are never justified, with rarely or never using libraries, and with thinking Mayor Ford is on the right track.


A slim majority believe a strike would be justified if the City cuts benefits and weakens job security

Mar. 9-12: If the city follows through and cut benefits and weakened job security for its employees, do you think front line workers would then be justified in going on strike, or would a strike not be justified under any circumstances? Feb. 10-13: If the city had followed through and cut benefits and weakened job security for its employees, do you think front line workers would then have been justified in going on strike, or would a strike not have been justified under any circumstances?

Strike justified if wage and benefit cuts imposed

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A slim majority of residents (54%) feel that the workers would be justified in going on strike if the City follows through with its threats to cut job security and benefits, the same proportion that thought this in retrospect back in February. This is the dominant response across the city and is the majority view of most population subgroups.

Saying that a strike would be justified under these conditions is highest among women (58%, vs. 49% of men), those in a public sector union (76%), frequent library users (65%), those who generally side with front-line workers (79%), and those who think Mayor Ford is on the wrong track (68%). It should be noted that a slim majority (54%) of those who feel, but not strongly, that Mayor Ford is on the right track, also think that a strike could be justified if the City cuts benefits and weakens job security, as do close to three in ten (28%) strong Ford supporters.


Most Torontonians support extending benefits to permanent part-time municipal workers

Currently, many of the frontline workers who provide municipal services are permanent part-timers who consistently work two or three days a week. Do you think that these permanent part-time workers should or should not have any access to benefits such as vacation pay and dental and drug plan coverage?

Permanent part-timer access to benefits

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When asked if permanent part-time workers should have access to benefits such as vacation pay and dental and drug plan coverage, seven in ten residents say they should. This is the majority view across the city and across all demographic subgroups, even among those groups most supportive of the City ‘s position: those who generally side with the City in labour disputes (58%), those who never use libraries (63%), those who strongly feel that Mayor Ford is on the right track (63%) or who feel that a strike is never justified (60%).


Most Torontonians believe that frontline workers are critically important to the quality of City services

When you think of the City of Toronto services and programs you ever use, how important are the frontline workers providing the service to the quality of the service? Are they…

Importance of frontline workers to the quality of City services used

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Nine in ten Toronto residents say that the frontline workers are either critically (54%) or somewhat (37%) important to the quality of the City services they provide. This is the dominant view across all subgroups. That municipal workers are critically important to the quality of services provided is strongest among residents of Toronto/East York (64%), those who use libraries frequently (63%), those who generally side with the workers (70%), those who think Mayor Ford is on the wrong track (65%) and those who think that a strike could be justifiable (62%). There is no difference by age or gender, or by whether someone owns or rents their home.


Most Torontonians support extending benefits to permanent part-time municipal workers

Currently, many of the frontline workers who provide municipal services are permanent part-timers who consistently work two or three days a week. Do you think that these permanent part-time workers should or should not have any access to benefits such as vacation pay and dental and drug plan coverage?

Permanent part-timer access to benefits

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When asked if permanent part-time workers should have access to benefits such as vacation pay and dental and drug plan coverage, seven in ten residents say they should. This is the majority view across the city and across all demographic subgroups, even among those groups most supportive of the City ‘s position: those who generally side with the City in labour disputes (58%), those who never use libraries (63%), those who strongly feel that Mayor Ford is on the right track (63%) or who feel that a strike is never justified (60%).


Over half of Torontonians are users of libraries, with three in ten being frequent users

Q.12 In the past year have you frequently, sometimes, rarely or never visited City of Toronto libraries either to borrow books or to use other library services?

Frequency of use of City of Toronto libraries

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Over half of Torontonians use City libraries either frequently (29%) or sometimes (25%). Close to two in ten use them only rarely, and over one-quarter say they never use them. Use of libraries appears to be linked to higher levels of support for core CUPE positions.

Library users are more likely to be female (61%) than male (48%), and to have household incomes under $100,000. Age and education usage patterns are not pronounced. Use of libraries is not linked to satisfaction with City services , but usage is higher among those who support the workers in a labour dispute, those who think a strike would be justified if the City cuts jobs and benefits, and those who think Mayor Ford is on the wrong track.


The majority of Torontonians sympathize with the librarians in the current negotiations

There are contentious negotiations happening right now between the City of Toronto and its library workers. Whose side are you on? Would you say that you are more sympathetic to the City or more sympathetic to the library workers?

In City/library worker negotiations, sympathize more with…

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Although just over four in ten residents generally support the City in labour negotiations, in the dispute with librarians the City loses ground: six in ten sympathize with the library workers in this fight.

Support for the workers is the dominant view across the City and across most population subgroups, even among groups less likely to use the library’s services (although there is somewhat more expressed support for the City among those groups). The only groups more likely to support the City than the librarians in this dispute are those who generally support the City (49%) and those who believe Mayor Ford is on the right track (47%). It should be noted, however, that even one-third of those who strongly support the way Mayor Ford is addressing the City’s priorities say that they support the library workers.


Torontonians continue to believe that cutting full-time librarian positions is a bad move

More and more, the city is moving to replace trained full time librarians who make decent wages with part timers working at much lower wages with no benefits. Would you say that… READ AND ROTATE : This is a good move because it will save the city millions of dollars / This is a bad move because qualified librarians with decent paying jobs will be lost

Replacing full-time librarians with low paid part-timers

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Over six in ten Toronto residents continue to believe that cutting full-time librarians is a bad move, while only one-quarter think it is a good move. Thinking it is a bad move is the dominant position across the City and across all subgroups, with the sole exception being those who strongly feel Mayor Ford is on the right track and, even here, four in ten strong Ford supporters say it is a bad move. Even half (49%) of residents who never use the library say this is a bad move.


Three-quarters of residents believe there would be a negative impact if there were fewer full-time librarians

The City wants to move towards a model for libraries where there are much fewer full-time trained librarians and a greater reliance on part-time workers. What impact do you think this would have on the quality and variety of services offered at Toronto Public Libraries? Would it have a very negative impact, a somewhat negative impact or no impact at all?

Impact of fewer full-time librarians and more reliance on part-time workers on quality of TPL services and programs

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Just over three-quarters (77%) of residents say there would be at least some negative impact on the quality and variety of TPL services if there are fewer full-time librarians and more part-time workers; belief that the impact would be very negative is held by one-quarter of residents, while only about one in six think there would be no impact. That the impact would be very negative is highest among residents aged 50 and over (33%), women (31%), residents of Toronto/East York (36%), those in a public sector union (48%), and those who use the library frequently (33%) or sometimes (30%). Thinking the impact would be very negative is also higher among those who typically support the front-line workers in labour disputes, those who feel a strike would be justified if the City cut jobs and benefits, and those who believe Mayor Ford is on the wrong track. Even a majority of strong Ford supporters (58%) believe the impact of this approach would be negative.


Most Torontonians believe that a further cut in library worker jobs would negatively impact services

Over the last 14 years since Toronto was amalgamated, the number of library workers in Toronto has been reduced by 17 percent. Mayor Ford wants further cuts in the number of library workers. If there was a further 10 percent cut in the number of library workers, what impact would it have on the quality of the services and programs offered at Toronto Public Libraries? Would it have a very negative impact, a somewhat negative impact or no impact at all?

Impact of further 10% cut in number of library workers onquality of TPL services and programs

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Torontonians were told that, since amalgamation, the number of library workers has been reduced by 17 percent, and then asked what they think the impact would be on service and program quality if a further 10 percent of positions were cut, as Mayor Ford wants. Close to eight in ten believe the impact would be negative, either very (30%) or somewhat (47%). Subgroup positions on this issue mirror those of the previous question.


About one in ten Torontonians have a close friend or family member in a City long-term care facility

Do you have any close friends or family members living in City of Toronto long-term care facilities?

Close friend or family member lives inCity of Toronto long-term care facility

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One in ten City residents have a close friend or family member who is living in a City of Toronto long-term care facility; the majority (90%) do not.

Proportions are higher among those aged 50 or over (13%) than younger residents (7%), and are also higher among those with less than a university degree (16% with high school or less and 12% with college-level education). There is no stated difference by income level, gender or home ownership.


Close to eight in ten are against eliminating shift overlap time as it will lead to a deterioration in care

Currently, when staff who work in long term care facilities start or finish their shifts there is about a half an hour of overlap time when they brief each other on patient care and transfer responsibilities. The City would like to eliminate this overlap time between staff shifts. Do you think…READ AND ROTATE : This is a good move because it will save the city money / This is a bad move because it will lead to a deterioration of the quality of care in long term care facilities

Eliminating shift overlap time for LTC staff

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When the issue of overlap time is briefly explained, close to eight in ten Toronto residents agree that this would be a bad move, as it would lead to deterioration of care quality. The is the majority view across the city and all subgroups, even among strong Ford supporters (61%), those who support the City in labour negotiations (68%) and those who think strikes are never justified (68%).

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Derek LeeboshVice President , Public Affairs

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Environics cupe toronto survey on labour issues report mar 15-12

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