Defence Department to nix about 1,100 civilian jobs

[mentalfloss]

Defence Department to nix about 1,100 civilian jobs

OTTAWA — The axe is beginning to fall on jobs across the public service, with the Department of Defence among the first to report losses.

The Union of National Defence Employees says around 1,100 civilian positions are being eliminated.

The losses will be felt across the country, from military bases to reserve sites.

Union president John MacLennan says everything from research and development to food services is on the chopping block.

The Defence Department took a big hit in last week's federal budget, and was told it will need to slash over $1.1 billion in spending over the next three years.

But the government has also committed to keeping the size of Canada's regular and reserve fighting force intact.

So MacLennan says if the military isn't going to shrink and no bases are going to close, the cuts raise the question of who is going to do all the work still needed to support soldiers.

He says the answer is soldiers.

The cuts at defence come a day after an auditor general's report accused the department of misleading Parliament on the true multi-billion-dollar cost of new fighter jets.

About 19,200 civil servants are expected to lose their jobs in the aftermath of the federal budget, which seeks to save Ottawa $5.2 billion.

Some workers will be given the option of leaving on their own, while others could be reassigned to different posts.

While defence is taking the largest financial cut, no department is expected to be entirely immune from job losses.

One of the largest public sector unions is expected to hold a news conference today outlining the challenges ahead.

Defence Department to nix about 1,100 civilian jobs | CTV News
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[Cannuck]

It's a bitter sweet day for Conservative Party supporters. Shutting down the gravy train enjoyed by fat cat civil servants is good but starting with the military takes some of the fun out of it.

 

[mentalfloss]

It's a bitter sweet day for Conservative Party supporters. Shutting down the gravy train enjoyed by fat cat civil servants is good but starting with the military takes some of the fun out of it.

I think that highlights how the military-industrial side of the party is not as rabid as our friends to the south. That said, this support network for the military does have some significance. The cut will affect pertinent service.

 

[MHz]

Just out of curiosity how can a person not be part of the Military when they cash a check issued by a Military body, does that make them 'unprotected' in times of revolt by other civilians?

 

[mentalfloss]

Government needs to be trimmed.....everywhere.

To bad Jim didn't go much deeper with the cuts but I suspect this is only the beginning of desocializing Canada.

You're making an infantile right-wing assertion about government. On this forum, you need to specify which programs you believe should be cut and for what reason. We've already concluded that cutting the size of government without justification of which department and for what reason is a gross assumption and a fallacy that we do not want to promote.

 

[taxslave]

It's a bitter sweet day for Conservative Party supporters. Shutting down the gravy train enjoyed by fat cat civil servants is good but starting with the military takes some of the fun out of it.

Not really. There are a huge number of civilians working for DND that do not need to be.

 

[mentalfloss]

Not really. There are a huge number of civilians working for DND that do not need to be.

Please state which ones, what their roles are, and why they are not needed.

 

[mentalfloss]

It's common knowledge that the public workforce is inept, overpaid, under worked and have terrible attitudes.

That is going to change, thankfully.

No, this is right wing rhetoric and ideology. If it was common knowledge, then there would be empirical evidence to show the unequivocal behaviour of hundreds of thousands of individuals.

If you would like to make a case for a specific department, then you need to provide transparent information regarding salary, productivity, as well as the scope and intent of that particular occupation.

We cannot make any accurate assertion of value unless there is some conception of that role.

 

[mentalfloss]

Looking at a big number and making an anecdotal assertion like: "1 guy works while 5 others watch" is not convincing.

 

[Liberalman]

Perhaps if you got rid of the unions in the public sector they would learn to work harder while getting rid of dead weight.

Unions teach people not the work.

Unions are important and levels the playing field

 

[Goober]

Looking at a big number and making an anecdotal assertion like: "1 guy works while 5 others watch" is not convincing.

To her that is called hard evidence.

 

[mentalfloss]

Perhaps if you got rid of the unions in the public sector they would learn to work harder while getting rid of dead weight.

Unions teach people not the work.

This is another common misconception that is tainting our collective abilities to reason properly.

 

[Goober]

This is another common misconception that is tainting our collective abilities to reason properly.

But not a misconception that Public Service Pensions are unsustainable - Much better than the private sector and need to be changed.

 

[Liberalman]

But not a misconception that Public Service Pensions are unsustainable - Much better than the private sector and need to be changed.

Public Service Pensions are sustainable just because more people are moving into Canada If you were able to look at the true books of the federal government you would see that

 

[Liberalman]

Unions protect the lazy and stupid.

The lazy and stupid are let go by management

 

[Goober]

Unions protect the lazy and stupid.

You should enroll. You at least meet the 50% requirement. And that is called a pass.

 

[Goober]

If you are in a union and a position opens up for promotion.
What dictates who gets the position, merit or seniority?
Teaches you not to work.

Depends on the contract – and the competition –

 

[Liberalman]

If you are in a union and a position opens up for promotion.

What dictates who gets the position, merit or seniority?

Teaches you not to work.

In the private secter merit is below snitches, brown nosers and skirts

Seniority gives one a better chance of promotion

 

[gerryh]

The people remaining just need to work harder like the rest of us.

says the guy who's wife works while he sits on his ass at home playing on the internet.

As far as the specifics....I have no clue.

Nice to see you admitting that finally

It's common knowledge that the public workforce is inept, overpaid, under worked and have terrible attitudes.

Well, if it's "common knowledge" then you shouldn't have any problem supplying some links to back up your assertion.

 

[Liberalman]

Qualifications trump senority in the private sector.

How about the scenario where you work along side someone who is lazy and gets the same pay as you dollar for dollar and btw has better job security because he worked a few weeks longer than you.

Teaches people not to work.

Unions may have had a use a hundred years ago when labor laws weren't in place but not today.

Ezra Levant & John Robson, Unions are losing support - YouTube

The management usually documents their work then fires the lazy ones