Joel Plaskett’s amazing transit strike song

Ride Again
(With sincere apologies to the late Stan Rogers for massacring his tune)

Ride gain, Ride again
So their pay not be lost and the strike will soon end
Those that rode them most and on the buses still depend
Pray the strike soon ends so they can ride again

They went out in the winter, Halifax’s A-T-U
Their president, Ken Wilson, left ; took with him all his crew
No more sitting at the table and debating things so dear
Like rostering and two percent a year
They soon had set up pickets, donned their signs and lit their fires
Paced, then stood around their barrels, just thank God they don’t light tires
The transit drivers stood their ground and vowed they would remain
No bus’s would drive down the road again.

Well, the city too was clear, as soundbite Kelly did proclaim
“Rostering costs millions” and “It’s the union you should blame.”
“Access a bus for medical we’ll soon have on the road.”
“Don’t park in bus stops or we’ll have you towed.”
The union and the city both dug in their heels
The public watched and wondered at this stupid long ordeal.
And prayed this spring like winter would continue with no snow
As they walked across the bridges to and fro

Ride gain, Ride again
So their pay not be lost and the strike will soon end
Those that rode them most and on the buses still depend
Pray the strike soon ends so they can ride again

All winter I’ve been walking or cadging rides from friends
While the buses, they stay parked we waited for the strike to end
So, Peter, Ken, and all your friends, please back to the table go
And settle on the rostering and dough
And transit union members, please stop what you began
Most of us you drive don’t make the wages that you can
We’ve faced the inconvenience and the cold winds that blow
We call both sides lying bastards , don’t you know?

And lastly, to our council and elected M-L-A’s
Time to step into the troubles and some leadership display
If neither side will do what’s right and get back on the road
Or listen to the thoughts in this long ode
Turn to and legislate them back. Impose a deal that’s fair
But keeps our taxes at a level that we all can bear
Arbitration’s not the answer, as we saw with those that nurse
Arbitration, it could even lead to worse…

Ride gain, Ride again
So our pay not be lost and the strike will soon end
Those that ride them most and on the buses still depend
Pray the strike will end and we will ride again
Pray the strike will end and we will ride again!