Editor:
There has been much complaining and taking of sides in the ongoing City of Kamloops/Emterra/Steelworkers Union recycling dispute.
The problem is not with Emterra.
It is a private company that has the right to pay workers whatever it feels is appropriate to staff its operations.
That’s a fact. It is not illegal to pay a low wage as long as it is falls within Canadian labour law.
Is it right or wrong? Frankly, that’s not for me to comment on. As for the employees, they have the right to go on strike and I don’t have a problem with that decision.
The problem, fellow residents, is with the City of Kamloops and its embarrassing lack of forethought and planning.
If you award a contract to a company with union employees, or to any company for that matter, you should have a plan B in case of service interruption.
Maybe pay a small retainer to Waste Management just in case something happens with your contracted recycling processor.
Perhaps you should lease an empty warehouse.
The City of Kamloops and, specifically, public works director Jen Fretz, have been caught with their pants down.
There is no back-up plan, no alternatives and no idea what to do.
The city was 100 per cent reliant on Emterra for recycling for a city of nearly 90,000. This is an extremely important part of a functioning city and the third-rate management we are receiving is unacceptable.
Those responsible for recycling at the City of Kamloops should lose their jobs.
I’m sure they are nice people, but this is a series of monumental mistakes.
By failing to have a plan in place for service interruption they should be terminated or resign voluntarily.
George Baleye
Kamloops
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