British Columbia Federation of Labour executive director Geoff Meggs is demanding an apology from Vancouver city clerk Syd Baxter. This, after Mr. Baxter, accused Mr. Meggs of "engineering" a potential strike by civic workers. In a personal email, which was accidentally sent to the Coalition of Progressive Electors on July 12, Mr. Baxter writes "We are going through usual BC politics at the expense of the civic workers. Ask any one of the staff why they are striking and they don't know. Truly, no exaggeration. CUPE and I have no doubt Geoff Meggs and company are engineering this across the region. No work is being done as staff contemplate this."

In response, Mr. Meggs - who was former Mayor Larry Campbell's chief of staff - notified Mr. Baxter via email, "Your statement about me is false and offensive and I would appreciate your immediate written apology."

Speaking with Public Eye, Mr. Baxter wouldn't comment on issuing an apology, saying "I haven't seen anything from Geoff Meggs. So I have nothing to say about that."

As for the email itself, the city clerk says, "I acknowledge that it is my private email. It was sent from my private email account. And it was sent on my own time to a personal friend. I'm not prepared to discuss the content of a personal communication with a friend. I will say that this email is personal and separate from my role as a public servant - a role which I have carried out for 39 years in a professional and unbiased manner. I've informed the mayor and council of this unfortunate occurence - an error on my part. I also yesterday requested COPE to destroy this email which they obviously received in error."

In the email, Mr. Baxter also expresses hope that, "I don't get toilets." - a reference to the fact many managers will be doing union jobs if a strike does happen. He then adds, "What am I saying, I already have the big Chamber bowl. p.s. hope you are well!!! It was 35C yesterday here in south surrey. In Van with the council meeting hot air it must have been at least 40C." The following is a complete copy of the aforementioned emails. Mr. Baxter's initial email was apparently written in response to an item published in last week's Coalition of Progressive Electors newsletter.

***

From: Geoff Meggs
Sent: July 16, 2007 12:40 PM
To: Syd Baxter
Subject: E-mail regarding civic union negotiations

Syd Baxter,
City Clerk,
Vancouver City Hall,
453 West 12th.Ave,
Vancouver, BC

Dear Mr. Baxter,

This morning, your e-mail below was brought to my attention. Your statement about me is false and offensive and I would appreciate your immediate written apology.

Yours truly,

Geoff Meggs

***

From: Syd Baxter
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2007 9:58 PM
To: 'The Coalition of Progressive Electors'
Subject: RE: COPE Newsletter

Hi Greg:

As you might think (!!) --- horsefeathers! We are going through usual BC politics at the expense of the civic workers. Ask any one of the staff why they are striking and they don't know. Truly, no exaggeration. CUPE and I have no doubt Geoff Meggs and company are engineering this across the region. No work is being done as staff contemplate this.

I expect they will be out early next week. Then I go to 60 hrs wk. Hope I don't get toilets. What am I saying, I already have the big Chamber bowl.

Syd.

p.s. hope you are well!!! It was 35C yesterday here in south surrey. In Van with the council meeting hot air it must have been at least 40C.

***

Mayor dithers as civic strike looms

Vancouver - It's not too late for Mayor Sam Sullivan to avert a stoppage in city services, says COPE Cllr David Cadman.

"The Mayor could show leadership and immediately engage with civic workers to avert any disruption in services," said Cadman. "Instead Sullivan is leaving it all to administrative staff and the GVRD Labour Relations Bureau who are locked in an inflexible process that has dragged on far too long without any solution."

Vancouver's 1800 outside workers, represented by CUPE local 1004, served 72-hour strike notice on July 10. They join other CUPE locals from across the Lower Mainland who have voted overwhelmingly in favour of job action.

"Unfortunately the Labour Relations Bureau has set bargaining parameters that they won't budge from," said Cadman. "Meanwhile NPA Cllr Ball, Vancouver's representative on the Bureau, has not reported back to Council in any meaningful way about these protracted negations."

Civic workers say the Bureau is following an Olympic driven agenda and are demanding a 39-month contract.

"The professionalism and hard work of City staff are what make Vancouver the number one city in the world," said COPE External Chairperson Ellen Woodsworth. "To force them into a situation where they might have to take job action is unconceivable."

When CUPE BC president and representatives of civic workers tried to meet with the Labour Relations Bureau on July 05, Cllr Ball and other members of the Bureau walked out of the room refusing to hear the workers' delegation.

"There is no reason for Vancouver residents to suffer a cut in services," said Cadman. "If that happens Mayor Sullivan and his do-nothing Council colleagues need to take full responsibility."