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Originally Posted by esquire
There is arguably more political willingness to "get tough" on public sector pensions as evidenced by City Council voting to amend the terms of the WPS pension despite being enshrined in their collective agreement.
Pallister is a bit of an old school Progressive Conservative so I don't think he'd necessarily start gutting public sector pensions, but if Manitoba had someone more in line with a Jason Kenney type of conservative I could see that approach coming into play.
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The city does in fact have every right to amend certain aspects of the pension plan as stated in the WPS CBA. The CBA incorporates the terms and conditions of Winnipeg By-Law 2148/78, which is an old and obsolete By-Law which has been updated and states:
14. (1) Subject to Section 15, but notwithstanding any other provision of this By-law or the Plan, Council may by By-law from time to time amend, modify, vary or terminate the terms, conditions or provisions of this By-law or the Plan (and any trust arising under this By-law or under the Plan) in such a manner and on such terms as Council may determine appropriate, such determination to be conclusively deemed to be evidenced by the passage of such By-law, and such amendment, modification, variation or termination may be effective retroactive to a date prior to the dates such By-law is passed.
As for Pallister and Kenney, don't think that gutting a pension is reserved for the Conservatives. BC, the maritime's and I believe Ontario a few years back made alteration much the same as the City is doing. They just alter the amount or % they are willing to contribute to the retirement fund. The employee's are as a collective more then able to increase their contribution.
The Police pension I believe the City was contributing something like 17% of the officers wage, which is an amount I have never heard of before. Most public pensions are in the 8% range by both employee and employer. Moving forward it will likely be the employee that will need to increase their contribution amounts to maintain the pensions they have, much the same as they have had to in BC and the Maritimes.