I cannot believe the way this municipality is run. It’s bad enough we have inept council but the managers are even worse. Writing out propaganda instead of avoiding a bus strike through negotiation, poor snow removal, streetlights not working, project and repair half done. This place is totally dysfunctional and it’s time for a change. There is also too much complaining from management and council that they cannot afford basic service when they put money into things like the convention center which would be white elephant. I do not particularly like when they give tax break to thing like private golf courses and yacht clubs and other property owners that serve only to people that afford these luxuries while things like snow clearing, parks and bus service they claim they cannot afford. It’s time for a change —Sick and Tired of Mismanagement
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2012.
What are you, new to the world or something?
This strike is 100% the fault of the union. The issues they are striking for are not strike worthy. The scheduling thing is a complete farce, they claim it’s about quality of life. Really? They all talk about how difficult it is to have some life balance between work and family. Well, this system doesn’t seem to work, so why are they fighting so hard to keep it? Money, that’s why. It enables the more senior members to pick 12 hour blocks, 4 hours of each shift being overtime. So when you work your 40 hour work week (which is a guarantee), 12 of those hours are paid out in overtime, and they are done thier work week in 3 1/2 days. This has been a right of passage for the last 30 years, and the city is trying to limit this waste by being able to curb the extra expense. Scheduling will take the power to screw the system from the union members, and take the advantage from the more senior members, thus taking away the right of passage new members were promised.
This propaganda is not one sided. If you think it is, you’re an idiot. I’m not saying that the union should take all concessions, but they are fighting for a system that doesn’t work, will continue not to work, and will be eventually be legislated out.
I also think it’s funny, the unions stance is that the city is not bargaining “in good faith”. They are not bargaining in good faith either, if they were, they would put the accessabus back on the roads, and alleviate extra stress on our most vulnerable members of society. Mr. Wilson has stated that they need this service to be on strike so they will have 100% union solidarity. Well you know what, Mr. Wilson? Your point would be made by striking without them, the only reason you won’t allow this service to continue is so you can sway public opinion on the side of the city giving in to all of your demands (not the demands of your members, i work with people who have family members who work at MT, and they are just as frustrated with you as the public is). This is one of the biggest prick moves you could come up with. EPIC FAIL.
This strike could have been averted, I bring attention to the water commission workers, who have been without a contract since 2008. There is no reason you have to be on strike to negotiate, and negotiating for 2 weeks and using a strike as a beginning bargaining position is detestable.
I support the drivers in their efforts on receiving a fair wage, and a reasonable amount of benefits, and protecting their pensions. None of these are issues though, you are fairly paid, offered raises congruent to the level of inflation, and your pensions and benefits are not being slashed.
I think Wison tends to come off as obnoxious, rude dolt.
Here, here. Well said, SHITD. I fully agree with everything you said. Wilson is nothing but a snake oil salesman. I sincerely hope the majority of the union members come to see him for the farce he is.
“We’re not fighting for anything new. We’re just fighting to keep what we have”
Yeah. What you have is a pretty sweet deal, essentially bilking the city, (aka the taxpayers) out of millions in dollars in unnecessary overtime payments. Times have changed. You’ve been sucking the tit of the proverbial cash cow now for years and we, the general public have been footing most of the bill. We’re fed up. It’s time for some accountability and in this day of global economic crisis’, Canada, (and Halifax) are not immune to it’s affects. We’ve all had to make changes and sacrifices that we didn’t want to make but why should ATU 508 be any fucking different?
And the longer you strike, the more you’re just hurting yourselves. Public support for this strike, from what I can read, is dwindling fast and is only getting less with each passing day. People are becoming indifferent to your so called cause. They are quickly coming to accept the changes in traffic flow and parking and the time it takes to get from point A to point B and they are adapting to cope with all of this. If and when the strike is over, your ridership is going to be in the basement, with only a handful of those who have no alternative actually using the bus on a regular basis.
I personally thought the bus service in this city sucked ass BEFORE the strike. (Waiting 30 to 45 mins for a bus is ridiculous and unacceptable) I only took the bus because there is no parking where I work and I’d have to park 20 mins away. But, because of the actions of this union and it’s obvious greed, I’ll fucking walk before I ever set foot on another bus in this city.
Very well put, HarperDevil.
and you are just finding out this now? holy fuck o.p., where you been hiding for a bunch of kelly years? this city is beyond fucked, and i defy ANYONE, to even bring it to a semblence of a normally run city.
SHITD, no one should have to work without a contract since 2008. That is NOT baraining in good faith.
Actually GV, that’s the very definition of bargaining in good faith. They were working under their old contract for three years, while they bargained “in good faith” that a new contract would be reached. Should they have to? No, but the “good faith” part is they are still working while they are negotiating. Idiot!!!
SHITD, this is where we will have to agree to disagree.
There is a difference between ‘spinning your wheels and getting nowhere’ and ‘bargaining in good faith’
Contracts last 3 years, negotiations shouldn’t.