Duane Hicks
Management non-union (MNU) staff with the Town of Fort Frances have opted to put off a previously-approved two percent pay hike they were to receive in 2013.
Town council approved rescinding the pay raise at its meeting Monday night after a report by Fort Frances CAO Mark McCaig, who noted it was a group decision by MNU staff.
McCaig said that in light of the recent announcement from Resolute Forest Products, and in consideration of the current property assessment appeal by that same company before a review board, “senior management felt it would be a good idea, a sign of good faith, to take the initiative regarding cost-saving measures.”
“To that end, we had meetings with our management non-union staff and we asked them to consider, as a sign of good faith, forgoing their two percent increase for this year in an effort to kind of kick-start the initiatives that are before us,” he explained.
“Obviously, the financial implications of the reassessment of the paper mill, and given the current economic climate in our community, this is one in a series of measures that will have to be taken, but we believe it’s a prudent first step,” added McCaig.
About 30 MNU staff are affected by the decision.
McCaig said the decision was made collectively by the MNU group, and that they were not asked by mayor and council to do so.
But the MNU is asking other town employees to take similar measures, as well.
McCaig noted the town will save about $43,000 by not paying for the wage increase in 2013.
Mayor Roy Avis thanked McCaig and his team for working diligently, and agreed their decision to rescind the pay increase is “a sign of good faith.”
McCaig noted that for some MNU staff who are not on the higher end of the pay scale, the sacrifice is greater than for those that are, adding he appreciates that.
Town council has had its remuneration frozen since 2010—a fact some MNU staff did not know until recently and many members of the public still don’t, noted Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown.
But Mayor Avis admitted that for himself and council, a wage freeze is not as vital as it is for the MNU staff.
“It’s nice to get an honorarium, but I don’t think it’s a main source of income,” he conceded.
“When it’s your main source of income and you give it up, I think that’s a real contribution to this municipality,” he added.
