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Court Testimony from Experts @ BEC

Excerpt from The City of Calgary and CUPE, Local 3421 (paramedics)

[4] Both parties provided the arbitration board with written submissions, and supporting material, and presented oral submissions before the board. The City called one witness, Cara Brown, with respect to inflation assumptions and inflation forecasting.

[29] Having regard to those factors, we conclude that the Union has not provided sufficiently persuasive information to justify increases of 5% for each of years 2002 and 2003. We further conclude that the City's proposal of 3.5% for 2002 and 3% for 2003 is appropriate, fair and reasonable in all of the circumstances and best reflects and replicates what the parties would have achieved had the collective bargaining process concluded.

[30] ...it is our view that the City's wage proposals are in excess of forecast inflation, and are comparable to what has been achieved in similar occupations elsewhere in Western Canada. In that regard we are referring to the percentage increase. However, we are also satisified that the City's proposed increase will result in salaries which equal or exceed all Western Canadian municipally funded EMS salaries for equivalent psitions to the extent that appropriate comparisons can be made given the differences of structure, classification and services that may exist in other jurisdictions.