Last weekend, I was given documents—-the so-called “run cut” of all the various transit routes in Halifax—-that detail how bus drivers’ schedules are derived. Readers can see the documents themselves at thecoast.ca/bites, and come to their own conclusions about what they mean. But what follows is my interpretation of what the run cut means for the daily lives of bus drivers.
The “report” time on the run cut is the very first consideration for a driver—it’s an absolute deadline; miss it and drivers miss their shifts, and therefore their pay for the day.
For instance, the driver for run 1205 has to report at Scotia Square at 7:58am, in order to take over the bus driving the #56 route at 8:05am. She drives that route until 12:37pm, when she hands the bus off to another driver at Scotia Square. She then gets a couple hours break, but has to start work again at 2:32pm at the Mumford Terminal in order to take over the bus on the #41 route. She drives that bus until 7:04pm, and ends up at the Burnside garage.
The 1205 driver gets paid for eight hours, but her work day is spread over 11 hours and 14 minutes. In order to get around, she’ll drive in the morning to Burnside, then catch one of the buses departing from the garage to Scotia Square, to start her day. At the end of the day, she’ll end up back at Burnside, where her car is.
The big concern for the 1205 driver is that the bus she catches to Scotia Square can’t be late, and so she sets out one bus early, about an hour ahead of time. All of us who commute by bus know this fear.
She also has to figure out how to get from Scotia Square to Mumford in time to start the second leg of her shift, eating away another hour.
That the bus drivers themselves face the same bus scheduling frustrations as every other commuter raises the question: Why aren’t the buses on schedule?
There are three issues here. The first is the variables of weather and traffic; if there’s a sudden snowstorm, or a massive accident on the route, time will be thrown off. There’s really nothing the driver can do about this.
The second problem leading to troubled scheduling can to some degree be laid on the drivers: they’re human, and so require washroom breaks.
For example, on Saturdays, there’s a driver assigned to run 6138, on the #10, which runs between Dalhousie and suburban Dartmouth. He starts work at 2:23pm, then drives straight through, for 10 hours, to 12:36pm. He gets no scheduled breaks, no meal break, no washroom break.
If there are no traffic problems or other delays, the route from Dalhousie to the Dartmouth suburbs and back again takes one hour and 50 minutes. At Dalhousie, the bus sits for 10 minutes. Just maybe, that’s enough time to run over to the Dal Student Union Building for a quick pee, but here’s hoping there are no greater needs.
In reality, the driver has to dart out for a washroom break somewhere along the route, and gets delayed. Throw in any other delay, and the problem with washroom breaks get magnified.
The Saturday #10 is hardly unique—nearly every run has very limited, if any, opportunity for driver washroom breaks.
The third reason for schedule disruptions is a sort of catchall related to passengers and equipment. If the #10 has to pick up 50 Christmas shoppers at MicMac Mall, which happens, there’s going to be a delay getting them all in the bus. The #10 is not a wheelchair accessible bus, but for those routes that are, that presents another delay.
The new buses are also causing delays, says one driver. The “wave your hand to open the door” thing can be quite slow compared to traditional “push the bar” doors, and when there are hundreds of stops over the course of a route, that adds considerable time.
These are some of the reasons for busted schedules. See more at thecoast.ca, and an explanation for why drivers want some minor control over their scheduling.
This article appears in Mar 1-7, 2012.
Tim you have done a good job of showing the union side and the drivers frustrations. It still will not sway me on management desire to manage. I just wish that they could somehow accomplish both goals of flexibility for Union and management efficiency for management. I have a quick question. are all shifts this split shift or what % are like this as you have explained this quite often.
Anyway I apprceiate the eductaion on the situation. I would love for you to dig into this SHIPS untendered ad campaign. The lacey guy has a good start for you.
Having adequate breaks is a valid concern. Why isn’t the union asking for that? As far as the media has reported, the union wants to MAINTAIN the current way of scheduling, and is asking for more money. There hasn’t been any indication that the drivers are asking for better shift scheduling.
Sounds to me like having breaks to go to the washroom isn’t as important to the drivers as we might think.
Split shifts suck, there is no argument with that. Wally, I am not sure of the % but I do know with the way things are now, you have to be a fairly senior in seniority before you can get straight shifts. However, as you pointed out Wally, management should still have the ability to manage, and if rostering is the industry standard and is more efficient to use, than the union should not be holding the transit users hostage over this issue. I truly believe the union is overstating this issue. The union deserve perks for the job they do? Damn right they deserve them, and that is why they are well compensated and are being offered raises in the city’s offers.
Why is the characature of the bus driver fat? Are you, as a paper, perpetuating a stereotype of the average bus driver, or, perpetuating that all people who work in the transport industry are fat?
AS a guy who likes his coffee and possibly doesnt have a bladder the size of an elephant I really understand this bathroom break think especially if you are rushed. I understand quality of life desires. These two sides seem very far apart on one issue. I really think That this issue needs a lot of creatvity and hammering out. I suggest thyat we get back to work with a mandate to sort out this issue. maybe this issue gets revisited in one year giving a task force a yearto come up with a mutually agreeable solution.
I went to the 508 site the other day, it appears that Tim’s “journalism” is all that is on the site. So, The Coast, how is it being a propaganda rag?
I find it hilarious how the mayor, and his dupes, attempts to explain their petty assaults against the bus drivers. For example using the expensive services of the fire department to put out fires that are well contained and manned continuously. Also the implication that the public is responsible for making the 911 calls, a great misuse of the emergency service, while in some cases, such as the Ragged Lake garage positions can only be seen or possibly affected by the management personnel manning the garage. Anyone with a scanner can, and have, identify the calls as originating inside the garage. Furthermore, to imply that the type of shift picking currently being used is not being used anywhere in North America is wrong. This system is being used extensively, although the cost is greatly reduced by using available software, in industries such as healthcare where nures can pick their work for an upcoming period and the onus is on the manager to ensure adequate staff are available to cover all shifts. Instead of citizens being enraged at the bus drivers for wanting to make a decent wage, I know I would not have the patience to do their job, the citizens who are not making a decent wage should be demanding they do as well. The fact that 78% of the union members voted against the city’s latest proposal, as compared to the 98% that rejected the first offer, does not mean a large drop in support from the bus drivers. It means that most of the ferry operators and garage mechanics, who are in the same union, voted against the latest offer because they are not affected by the “Rostering” format being offered. Don’t get me wrong, I am also aware that the union has made some blunders as well but nothing that a good PR person could not correct.
There is no case to be made why bus drivers deserve a higher raise than professionals. This isn’t a private company making bumper profits. How about some in-depth stories about people who lost jobs, shifts, who are sleeping on couches, walking miles in freezing weather, and missing doctor appointments. They don’t matter but they are the working poor. How do you expect us to care about bus drivers when bus drivers don’t care about the poor.
I get so sick and tired of hearing that this is an attack on their way of life. The drivers will still be paid a fair wage, fair benefits and will be able to see their families every single day. In fact they were offered a lump-sum payment so they would not incur any financial hardship because of their strike action, and a fair wage increase over 5 years to the tune of 2.5%. At a base salary of 40h/week being 49,920/year, when you compound the raises over 4 consecutive terms at 2.5%, their base salary will be 55,101/year. Considering that MT has paid for all their training, and payed them while they train, leaving their education costs at zero, that’s a pretty fair wage. I think it’s laughable that the union actually thinks they should have the right to manage themselves. Newsflash, you don’t work for the union, you work for managers at MT, and if they want the ability to manage (ie; tell an employee when they will be working) then they should have the right to do so, after all they are MANAGERS. This time the city has the taxpayer in mind, and are not going to give up control just to “put buses back on the road at any cost” like they have in the past.
I think if the drivers want public support, you should keep your damn fool mouths shut and let things play out, instead of, in most cases, jamming both feet in your collective mouths in every public forum you can find. It’s actually funny to hear you call up talk radio and pretend to be in support of “the union” and fuck up the “them” and “we”, making it abundantly clear to everyone where your opinion comes from. The dishonesty in pretending to be “Joe Public” defending a cause, while you are actually union members not only makes you look like tools, it reeks of desperation for public support.
Murley, I said rostering is an INDUSTRY standard. Meaning public transit. But thanks for taking my facts way out of context
Am I the only confussed tax payer here.. Stock bus drives have split shifts. Only 5 hr days and get layed off in the summer and during spring/ Christmas breaks. Their wage is around $12.00/hr with no over time. Have the same licence as MT drivers.
This roster is costing tax payers over time.. this artical shows shifts that have drivers out for work 11 hrs getting paid 8 .. But the drivers are picking there shifts and that is not explained. It seems that this is part of the CAUSE not part of the solution needed to get our drivers out the door with shifts that allow them pay all the time they are out for work without the over time. Drivers can only support such a system through their union if in the end the system is a betterment to them.. this suggests the over time, with its pay is better for them over a straight shift on the clock day. HRM should be able to budget there transit costs and not be held hostage to labour overages to get the job done. I understand there are shifts offered that include over time build in the shift.. this is nuts and needs to be fixed. I have a son attending Dal and he needs a ride. I glady put up with the extra inconvenance short term to fix this problem long term. I for one do not see a value added benifit for a union here. It only inflates everyones overall cost making HRM less competitive. Drivers .. you should have breaks built in your shifts. How can we expect you to concentrate on your job of driving when nature is calling.. to me this puts you on our roads in an un-safe manner.. that is what your union should be doing for you not trying to generate higher wages through poor work shifts that favour senior drivers.
It seems to me like there’s a big opportunity here for some math PhD student to do their thesis on an optimization of driver scheduling. Maybe there are too many variables to be computationally feasible, but if there was indeed a way to optimize the system I’m sure it would mean a huge workplace quality improvement for the drivers.
I have to agree with issmat, why aren’t they arguing with valid concerns? ex: breaks…
Some drivers say they don’t want rostering, others are saying they want more say if they are going to accept rostering, but yet they have say now. The Union and the Employers have a joint committee now, and look where it’s gotten them….no breaks different start/end areas of the HRM,etc.. Maybe if they let the employer and their computer system work it out, the’ll end up with something better? They won’t know until they try it out. How could it possibly get worse then a 8 hour shift over 10-11 hours?
And to Wall321, no, not all the shifts are split. One of the perks of senior drivers, is to avoid split shifts if they wish.
All this article proves is that the way things are done now is a poor way to do them. If the drivers can’t even rely on their own system to get them to work on time, and don’t have any time for wash room breaks (talk about an unhealthy work environment), then something clearly needs to be done. To sum up, the old system works poorly and costs the taxpayer too much money. Sounds like things need to change.
No one said the life of a bus driver is a walk in the park…but there is an extensive application/testing process involved before being accepted on the list for training, and then there’s 7 weeks of training. During this whole process of applying, passing the testing and during training, potential drivers are made aware of the life of a bus driver, the way the schedule is done, the long hours etc…..so before you take the job you know what’s involved, To the drivers: you knew what you were getting into when you took the job, just like you knew how much you’d get paid and how good the benefits and pension are. Its like becoming a nurse and then saying I don’t like to give needles, you know what the job entails before accepting it. As for the current way of scheduling, all you drivers keep complainiing about the split shifts, so why are you so hell bent on fighting for something you’ve clearly stated you hate, oh, I know, cause you’ll lose the overtime under the rostering system, and Ken Wilson says its not about the money, he must really think the public are as clueless as he is….Stop your whining, take the offer and go back to doing the job you were hired to do!!!
Easy enough to solve the bathroom problem. Port-a-potties with locks on them for the drivers at the main terminals. As for eating, bring a sammich (like most of us do) and eat it when you have idling time (as many of us that eat at our desks).
http://www.thecoast.ca/RealityBites/archiv…
What break is this guy on? ^^^
The Pilsworth caricature should have the guy lazing around in a reclining chair, lighting a cigar with a $50 bill.
Lots of valid points in the comments, from the duplicity of the union members calling radio talk shows masquerading as the public, to the Coast’s one-sided coverage. And of course the inept union fighting for the wrong things. I hope the city does not move an inch. As the weather improves and people get used to other options, that becomes easier.
Looking at the scheduling examples, (both models), it seems that the only factors management take into account when scheduling the work, is the bus route, and where the bus should be a certain times along the route. Some of these shifts also have multiple routes on them, and I don’t think that any scheduling dept. would be able to factor in bathroom breaks or a normal lunch break into the days work. It just isn’t feasible, given the nature of a transit system. Maybe that is why we don’t hear drivers asking for these things when they negotiate a new contract. They do understand the nature of the work and do accept these aspects of their shifts, taking the opportunities wherever they can to take a bathroom break (I know I will be a lot more understanding and patient when a driver pulls a bus over, and disappears into a fast food outlet or ‘Tims’). I am beginning to realise that there is way more to being a bus driver than any one of us can understand unless we are a bus driver ourselves. That the majority of posts that I am seeing from people seem to run more along the vein of envy or resentment of the compensation we pay our drivers. There seems to be an ‘if I don’t earn that, why should you’ attitude. I know one thing for sure. Regardless of whether we are twittering, on face book or posting comments: We are all being amazingly judgemental about something that we do not have any in depth knowledge of.
Looking from the outside in, I am seriously skeptical of both the city (staff mainly, they run the city after all) and the union (union executive and all senior drivers). Over the years, city politicians and senior city managers haven’t shown themselves to be efficient or particularly competent. And in this case I think the union is in the wrong for insisting on control over scheduling.
What I’d like to see – and I’m not sure how this would work procedurally – is for the decision on scheduling to be neither the city’s nor the union’s. This is a resourcing problem and one that is quite well studied. Given the inability of the city (and selected partners) to even do the Go Time system right, I have zero confidence in the ability of MT to select and implement proper scheduling. I’d take that choice right out of their hands. The union on the other hand cannot be allowed to choose the scheduling system either; that’s simply absurd.
If we’re going to have “binding” anything, let’s have a third-party binding choice on scheduling (right down to technical choices being made) driven by a proper independent study.
This would take time, so it’s like a Round Two. I don’t have a solution for Round One, I think we’ll just see one side cave. But in order to prevent his happening again, let’s look ahead. I’d really like to see binding arbitration now that puts in a “bandaid” solution that pleases nobody all that much, for 24 months, with a rock-solid requirement in that agreement that subsequent binding decisions on final scheduling will be made at the end of that timeframe, by a third party.
On another note, I think that when the strike is over each and every senior union member should write out a personal cheque that gets divvied out over a number of junior people. I’ll bet a lot of junior people have been voting to accept the most recent offers, and they are still getting stiffed.
ATU met on March 28, 2010 at the request of management to hold a referendum related to Spare board guidelines to ease transition into the Ragged Lake Transit Centre. Kenny Wilson was heard on many occasions saying “management has the right to manage” and “overtime is not a right” in the lead up to this vote. THIS IS THE TRUTH! As a result of this vote two separate spare boards were created at the behest of management. All vacation work was assigned to a separate Vacation Board. This eliminated any over time implications to cover driver vacations save for any that management structured into the constituent shifts. This constituted a considerable concession in the middle of an existing contract. The membership hoped that in living up to a sense of corporate responsibility, we would set the stage for constructive dialogue for the new contract. How the membership was mistaken!
With the opening of the new garage, management structured it’s resources as it saw fit. “management has the right to mismanage?” Ragged Lake was almost immediately short of workers and began to accrue overtime. The union approached management and suggested mobility of Spare Board operators between garages. We had always advocated for one Spare Board to cover both. Management stated that payroll software could not accommodate this contingency. Meanwhile, management grew to a ratio of 8.5 workers for every manager/supervisor. Toronto Transit has a ratio of 27 to 1. Approximately 300 supervisors/managers for the entire operation. Also, with management mandated changes to fare collection practices/policies recovery of cost went from 76% to 45% in 10 years. WHERE IS THE SUSTAINABILITY IN THAT? Now we are at a cross roads, the city will not raise taxes and fares….so obtain it out of the asses of the workers…instead of fixing the systemic problems of fare evasion and over management.
The over time “problem” will never go away. This is an inconvenient truth about scheduled time sensitive operations. ATU has offered a minor easement in the rest period to eliminate breaches, assigning pick orphaned shifts at straight time or making Spare Board operators 5 day rather than 6 with staggered days off to ensure coverage. This hands the overtime “problem” completely to management. HRM has turned these proposals down flat. Why?
We are as confused as you are. Most employers recognize loyal service whether union or not. Retail managers are often loath to assign long service employees to evening or weekend work if junior workers are available. I know…I worked retail while in university! The “Rostering” red herring is a clever tactic to destroy 1 of the only 2 rewards loyal service to this employer gives. The other is picking of vacation weeks. Contrary to HRM ads and misinformation by Council, the Mayor and CAO Richard Butts, contract proposals are not conforming to their much overstated industry best practices. Other jurisdictions feature heavy union involvement in the structure of work and an honest collaborative effort to sustain a healthy and productive work force. In good faith. This is not the case here.
To the traveling public…no one in this union wanted this strike! Our place is in the driver seat, ferry bridge or decks, repair shops and support work. This strike is now ideological for HRM Council and Management. I doubt they have any intention of settling this strike soon or ever…without significant public pressure to do so. To the union bashers/haters I know who I am, I know what I do, I know what I contribute to the citizens of this city and what I justifiably earn. I DON’T OWE YOU ANY APOLOGY! You want something…go after the people who have the control and the deep pockets…we have the watches, they have the time….the clock is ticking! Apply some pressure to get a deal done.
To my union brothers and sisters, we know the truth…get it out there…now! Apathy is contagious but so is determination and perseverance. I support and care about each and everyone of you! I’ve got your back any day…get well soon Dale!
Originally posted in response to the article In Context: What a Bus Driver’s Day Looks Like
Dear Amos Pitman,
In response to your comment, there is a direct comparison between transit operations. The crux of this argument is that Metro Transit is over managed. Your technical speak leads me to believe you are here representing management or at least tied to the city’s bargaining team. If so, I and everyone else, I believe, would like you to disclose this fact for clarity. Thank you for taking some of my comments out of context. On the apology issue, I recall qualifying that statement with “union bashers/haters” I stand by that. I have nothing against intelligent discourse.
As for overtime, Cafeteria Picking is not the problem. This system of picking is alive and well in many jurisdictions. ATU has already offered concessions to HRM to eliminate overtime resulting from orphaned shifts. The public needs to know that HRM from day one has engaged in an archaic tactic called “Ultimatum Bargaining”.
Here is an insight. The HRM offer forced on the membership in late January included a contract clause requiring a physicians note for any sick occasion regardless of a workers attendance record. Further, management would reserve the right to refuse that note and deny the sick time. Who in their right mind would ever consent to that? Now you know why a 98.5% mandate was given by the membership.
Management has through it’s arrogance and “take it or leave it” attitude, poisoned the employer/worker relationship. There is a profound lack of trust on the union’s part for the employer. It’s growing. I, or any other union member, is free to exercise his or her conscience on any issue. I do not have to accept an offer that violates my basic rights. I do not have a right to overtime, lets be clear. The union recognizes that fact.
As I said before, this strike for the employer is ideological. Everyone has a right to make their own conclusions. Until they stop the tactics that have and are being employed…this strike could be a long one. This is the last post I will make on this site, draw your own conclusions. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Here we see just how corrupt the public sector unions really are, they make the rules, they control the hiring, they dictate the work schedules, and in every case they are sub par to private sector unions who negotiate before striking, are the last to call in their friends also know as arbitrators to come to their rescue. Do you think an arbitrator would have saved the jobs at Bow Water? If you do you had better quit smoking that wacky tobacco. Where would the moola come from, hell the province (you&I) had to bankroll them over $50 million bucks and counting. Here is a message to all the public sector union brainless members and staff, here is a message to the premier, the finance minister,and all of the fin slapping members of their pro labor government. Enough is enough, a roll back in public sector union jobs is in order, we are being taken to the cleaners by the likes of Joan Jessome, and the rest of her motley crew. These people with their double, triple, and quadruple chins have had their day, well over 2/3 of our $14billion provincial debt has been run up pandering to the public sector giveaways, what did we get in return? Shoddy service, a class of entitlement, and to beat it all a government staffed by moron’s. I just hope we do better on the ship building contract, I fear that we will not.As for the bus drivers, cheer up spring is on it’s way, the fresh air will do you good, and your stinking belching buses will play a large part in the the clean up.
ATU met on March 28, 2010 at the request of management to hold a referendum related to Spare board guidelines to ease transition into the Ragged Lake Transit Centre. Kenny Wilson was heard on many occasions saying “management has the right to manage” and “overtime is not a right” in the lead up to this vote. THIS IS THE TRUTH! As a result of this vote two separate spare boards were created at the behest of management. All vacation work was assigned to a separate Vacation Board. This eliminated any over time implications to cover driver vacations save for any that management structured into the constituent shifts. This constituted a considerable concession in the middle of an existing contract. The membership hoped that in living up to a sense of corporate responsibility, we would set the stage for constructive dialogue for the new contract. How the membership was mistaken!
With the opening of the new garage, management structured it’s resources as it saw fit. “management has the right to mismanage?” Ragged Lake was almost immediately short of workers and began to accrue overtime. The union approached management and suggested mobility of Spare Board operators between garages. We had always advocated for one Spare Board to cover both. Management stated that payroll software could not accommodate this contingency. Meanwhile, management grew to a ratio of 8.5 workers for every manager/supervisor. Toronto Transit has a ratio of 27 to 1. Approximately 300 supervisors/managers for the entire operation. Also, with management mandated changes to fare collection practices/policies recovery of cost went from 76% to 45% in 10 years. WHERE IS THE SUSTAINABILITY IN THAT? Now we are at a cross roads, the city will not raise taxes and fares….so obtain it out of the asses of the workers…instead of fixing the systemic problems of fare evasion and over management.
The over time “problem” will never go away. This is an inconvenient truth about scheduled time sensitive operations. ATU has offered a minor easement in the rest period to eliminate breaches, assigning pick orphaned shifts at straight time or making Spare Board operators 5 day rather than 6 with staggered days off to ensure coverage. This hands the overtime “problem” completely to management. HRM has turned these proposals down flat. Why?
We are as confused as you are. Most employers recognize loyal service whether union or not. Retail managers are often loath to assign long service employees to evening or weekend work if junior workers are available. I know…I worked retail while in university! The “Rostering” red herring is a clever tactic to destroy 1 of the only 2 rewards loyal service to this employer gives. The other is picking of vacation weeks. Contrary to HRM ads and misinformation by Council, the Mayor and CAO Richard Butts, contract proposals are not conforming to their much overstated industry best practices. Other jurisdictions feature heavy union involvement in the structure of work and an honest collaborative effort to sustain a healthy and productive work force. In good faith. This is not the case here.
To the traveling public…no one in this union wanted this strike! Our place is in the driver seat, ferry bridge or decks, repair shops and support work. This strike is now ideological for HRM Council and Management. I doubt they have any intention of settling this strike soon or ever…without significant public pressure to do so. To the union bashers/haters I know who I am, I know what I do, I know what I contribute to the citizens of this city and what I justifiably earn. I DON’T OWE YOU ANY APOLOGY! You want something…go after the people who have the control and the deep pockets…we have the watches, they have the time….the clock is ticking! Apply some pressure to get a deal done.
To my union brothers and sisters, we know the truth…get it out there…now! Apathy is contagious but so is determination and perseverance. I support and care about each and everyone of you! I’ve got your back any day…get well soon Dale!
Hey Truthseeker, come up with some new ideas please. Here’s the truth, the union is fucked, and has virtually zero public support. It’s time to can Mr Wilson’s ass, accept rostering and get back to work
Know what? This sounds like a typical day in retail. Everyone, and I mean everyone, has good and bad parts of their jobs. Detailing a day for these drivers does not make me feel sympathetic… All I see is a grade 12 education getting 50K a year with benefits. Let me recount a day in the life of a retail employee:
Wake up and go to work. Since you rely on Transit, you have to leave 2 hours early to get to a job that is probably a 10-15 minute drive away, yet you arrive 30 minutes early because any other later bus will get you there 30 minutes late. You can’t afford a car because you work for minimum wage because that’s all Wally Mart will pay you, you can’t walk because you’re already going to spend 8 hours on your feet with one 30 minute break. You get screamed at by some idiot over a 50 cent mistake on a sales reciept. You shove a bologna sandwich in your face during your lunch, and go back to get yelled at over pennies. Finally, at the end of your shift, you get to go home, but because you can’t punch out until the exact end of your shift, but then you miss your bus and have to wait 30 minutes for another one. You get home an hour later, only get paid for 7 and a half hours of work, and head to bed because you’re scheduled at 8 am and have to get up at 6.
It’s funny, given that this is the reality of the people that rely on transit, it is hard to feel sorry for the drivers. They make great money, have great benefits, they get sick days. It’s great when things are put into context.
Dr.Fever ain’t talkin’ jive, baby. Thanks for putting it into perspective. Especially like the part about leaving two hours early for a job 30 minutes away. Been there and done that. Fuck those fuckers and their fucking bullshit.
Please read the following News 95.7 article http://www.news957.com/news/local/article/…
On Jan 24, two days after the strike vote, Coun. Barkhouse indicated on the front page of Metro News that important contract clauses in the HRM offer to ATU were omitted from a closed door presentation by senior staff to Council. Was this the work of Eddie Robar or CAO Richard Butts? On part timers and contracting out she said, “I want to see (the offer) for myself, and I want to know exactly what’s going on.” Further, “(It’s) so significant that we wouldn’t have been told that…It’s quite unbelievable that something that significant, we would have to read in the paper.” What the hell is going on here?
Given the inconvenience and harm suffered by thousands in this city, it’s vital for HRM to bargain in good faith and settle this strike. ATU has made concessions. Conclude a deal or otherwise, go to arbitration. Eddie Robar and Kenny Wilson agreed on contract language related to Rostering in the City’s last and “final” offer. If it wasn’t altered by senior staff after negotiations, it likely would have passed. The City is prolonging this strike. The Mayor, Council, Senior Management, and CAO Richard Butts don’t rely on Transit…what do they have to lose?