Note that I have closed comments on this thread because, at 92, it’s getting a tad long. Please continue this discussion in the “Back on Track” thread that I have just created.
I came out of my hotdocs screening late this evening and, riding home on the subway, heard a totally garbled public announcement. No black band on the One Stops, but we all know they’re a waste of time.
Emerging at Broadview, I ran into a CITY TV camera crew and learned of the strike which starts as I write this. I was not a happy camper.
Until now, I have stayed out of this battle and have been generally supportive of the union in response to some rather intemperate comments by readers here. However, the way this strike arrived shows just how badly Local 113’s communications, internally and externally, have fouled up the situation.
The whole business started with the Worth a Million campaign. I was one of the people asked by Marilyn Churley to read through her report before it was published, and flagged some of the more glaring problems with the logic. However, it’s clear that the slogan had been picked already, the website domain name purchased, and the thrust of the campaign already decided. Fine tuning the message was not in the cards.
This campaign raised a lot of bad feelings not least because it portrayed the huge benefits transit gives to the city as coming totally from the staff without acknowledging the political support and funding that makes the existence of the TTC possible.
Then came the bargaining. Little information leaked out from negotiations, but what did was not exactly useful in establishing a strong position for the union. As the deadline neared, we heard about how the poor underpaid Toronto members needed to be the best in the GTA. It didn’t take long for the press to find out that the actual difference between Toronto and Mississauga was five cents. Moreover, once Toronto got even the two percent originally offered by the TTC, they would leapfrog back into top spot.
We heard about sick pay for workers injured by assaults, and the clear indication was that the TTC addressed that one before the ink was dry on the press release. Then it turned out that Local 113 wanted full sick pay for any injured worker, but this took two weeks to come out. When challenged on this, Bob Kinnear said, in effect, “well, that TTC spokeman is wet behind the ears and didn’t know what he was talking about”. Oh? It took two weeks for the union to decide that the TTC was putting out misinformation?
Finally, we come to today’s vote. The story is that the maintenance workers felt they had lost protection about contracting out. Hmmm. If this was such a problem, and if some of the union executive couldn’t bring themselves to sign the agreement, why did it take until today for this news to surface. The maintenance workers are less than half of the total workforce, but clearly others voted to reject in support of them.
Worrying about the safety of its members, Local 113 pulled them out at midnight rather than waiting 48 hours.
“We have assessed the situation and decided that we will not expose our members to the dangers of assaults from angry and irrational members of the public,” said Bob Kinnear, ATU Local 113 President. [From the press release.]
The only irrational people here are in Local 113. They have consistently sent garbled messages to the public, and possibly even to their own members. If contracting out really was on the table, as opposed to the suspicions of radical members of the executive, then the union should have made this clear as a deal breaker. As things stand, it is nothing more than rumour.
Whenever they do return to work, Local 113 members can expect the cordial relations they enjoyed with the public after averting a strike to evaporate. Every operator who goes for a coffee, who throws his passengers out into the rain, who argues over a transfer will be subject to abuse.
Both sides are expected to meet the Provincial mediator on Saturday afternoon, but mediation or no, Queen’s Park should tell Local 113 quite bluntly that this irresponsible behaviour is unaccetable and force them back to work immediately. Given the mechanics of such legislation, we could be without transit service until Wednesday if procedural foot-dragging prevents passage of an emergency bill in one day.
Local 113 has blown its relationship with the most pro-labour Commission and Council they could hope to have across the bargaining table. From here on, who can trust their signature on a contract?
I am sure my regular correspondents will write to say “we told you so”, and I have to say I am deeply disappointed. Once again, the cause of transit is set back by events that have nothing to do with improving the system.
Steve Munro 
Quoted from Mr. Kinnear on the CityNews website:
… and they expect the public to say thanks for putting the brakes on a service that they very much depend on? get real folks… Even the most courteous of riders is going to have a nasty word for the operators after this farcical turn of events.
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Mr. Kinnear is an absolute failure when it comes to dealing with the public. Remember last time when he told the media that the union was ‘locked out’ when in fact they were staging an illegal walkout. A lot of good that did them.
Steve: I cannot help thinking that despite Kinnear’s apparent acquiescence to the agreement last weekend, what we are seeing now is the strike he always wanted. Now he can show that nasty Gary Webster and all the politicians who’s boss. A very sad day for “organized” labour.
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I’ve lost ALL my respect for the transit union, and even a little respect for it’s members. I do note that at least this time they gave us an hour’s notice (as opposed to last time when they just moseyed off the job.) I often get odd looks and odd comments when I tell people that I’m a card carrying Conservative precisely BECAUSE I’m also anti-union; I hope that those people gain a little understanding as of why today.
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Bang on, Steve, hear, hear.
What a shame. I thought we seen some goodwill with the ATU negotiating well past the strike deadline and coming out with a deal, and promising the 48 hours notice.
The press release from Kinnear stating that they would withdraw services immediately has made so many seething with anger. Has the ATU leadership (note, I’m directing my anger at them, not at employees) not learned a thing from May 2006? Risk of assaults being the motivation for the immediate stoppage of service is the most opportunistic excuse for a strike I have heard, at least since that hot May day in ’06, and is, as you and others point out, self-defeating. Any goodwill left is out the window.
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I have supported the Rights of Organized Labour quite a bit. But one thing I have noticed in Ontario is the power of the Unions to cause havoc. The autoworkers and the TTC Union are two which tend to bug me the most. This situation is good reminder of what I am talking about, a one and half hour notice for striking is simply pathetic. And even rejecting that very generous contract.
As you said Steve it appears that Bob Kinnear wants this strike just to try to bring some more control into his hands. It could be an explanation for why he gave such a short notice to the strike.
Back to work legislation would be a great way to go, but I still worry Kinnear would still have too much power under such circumstances. As we have seen with the wildcat strike only a few years ago, the Union still has the option to strike illegally. And I could see Kinnear doing exactly that.
I would say let the strike drag on and let the union break – the employees have mortgages or rent to cover. I know it sounds harsh, but I really see no other way to deal with Kinnear.
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Absolutely shameful behaviour by the union. After massively losing the vote, Kinnear seems to be simply throwing another temper tantrum, and taking it out on Torontonians in a last ditch effort to save his own job; however any responsible leader would simply have gone back to the table and said I need more concessions. And I’ve been defending these guys? Throw them to the lions!
And the not giving any notice? We always knew Kinnear was a pathological liar, so perhaps no surprise there. The trying to protect operators from verbal abuse is BS – can you imagine the verbal abuse that they will receive from people who found themselves stranded at midnight the next time they get on a vehicle?
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My previous posts to this site (and others) confirm my pro-union bias. That has not changed, but I nonetheless totally endorse the sentiment that Local 113 is out of its mind. This is, as you have stated, a pro union council and it is lead by a pro union mayor. I have a lot of trouble with the sudden withdrawal of services and note that a lot of the people who can’t get home tonight are poorly paid (busboys, dishwashers and the like).
My experience on the TTC last weekend – when I continued to say Thank You to every operator – was that the public was perfectly civil and I heard people behind me saying Thank You as well. The excuse used to justify this “quick” walkout is unfounded in my experience. I can’t imagine why anyone would vote against three years of 3% (above inflation at the current time) increases and improved health and injury benefits. It makes no sense.
I am not in favour of contracting out. However, I am inclined to believe that the issue is indeed warranty work and that much of it will in fact be contracted to the TTC and its employees. On a personal note, it cost me $9 in taxi fare to get home from my concert tonight. I can well afford that, but many people who make much less than TTC employees will suffer more.
I totally reject the “fire them all” vitriol of some other blogs. However, I am deeply disappointed with Bob Kinnear and as a pro union advocate, fear that he has set back the cause of public sector unions. Shame on him. While the “politics of resentment” remains offensive, Mr. Kinnear has given it a shot in the arm.
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This is absolutely unacceptable. The union got what I thought was a very generous deal, and yet they still voted it down and had a strike with less than 1 hour’s notice, stranding thousands of people downtown waiting for taxis. I hope that back-to-work legislation gets passed before Monday. (And they’ll probably be getting a much less generous deal out of that.)
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I generally hold nothing against the union members themselves, since they don’t really write the contracts or participate in the negotiations, they just cast a vote and little else.
Maintenance can lose my sympathy as of now (even considering the carbon monoxide incident, which I sided with them on as far as negotiation conflicts were concerned), but even before now, I have had big problems with Kinnear, whom I have had suspicions about from the very start as he was sending bizzarre messages from the very start of the negotiations, and has shown utter irresponsibility, inconsideration, and inconsistency throughout. Since it is completely unclear what he – or his union wants, I can conclude nothing else other than that the man is incompetent.
What boggles one’s mind is that last week he said they got a tentative deal, and I quote from Kinnear’s mouth, “without concessions.” OK, so if you did not have to concede anything, why did your members vote against it? Does this man also not realize that the public’s poor opinion of the union is a result of Kinnear’s own doing?!
I have voiced my disdain for Kinnear’s handling of affairs in very strong language elsewhere, but I see Steve, that you are indeed in agreement with a suspicion I have shared elsewhere; Kinnear is merely out for revenge on CGM Gary Webster over, from what I gather from news articles, a 1996 deal the union agreed to where Mr. Webster was the chief negotiator at the time.
Kinnear should be fired and the TTC finally declared an essential service as should have taken place after the last illegal strike in 2006. This is the second random strike in three years led by the same union president. This random strike is an act of war on the innocent riding population of Toronto who do not deserve this (well, maybe 1% or 2% do, but let’s think of the other 98% or 99%, shall we?), after paying the fares that make the lion’s share of the union’s wages (i.e. the union has a responsibility to the public since the public effectively pays the union, I mean, hi, we’re the customer, and we’re always right).
This is the absolute poorest possible action one can take from a business perspective, and Kinnear is effectively guilty of treason against the city for this (after all, I call this an act of war). The fact that he could not even wait until the regular shut-down period of the night between 1:30am and 2:00am is completely intolerable and unforgivable, and he should be dealt with in the harshest possible means. He should have been removed in 2006 anyway.
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Booked flights (for work) around the potential strike last week to ensure I didn’t land on a Monday morning. This week I find myself calling an airport taxi service this morning and with a flight scheduled to land at 6am Monday.
Rather pissed at the lack of notice. If I rushed out the door without reading the mornings news there is a good chance I would have missed my flight.
I’m generally a supporter of labour getting what they’re due and overpaying staff in general to lure the best and brightest; but paying sizable salaries requires respect from the employees. Right now I don’t feel the TTC employees respect their employer (me both from the farbox and various taxes) and deserve anything.
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You should look up the fable of ‘The Scorpion and the Frog’.
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Local 113 are a bunch of spoiled children, period. You know what you do to children who act out of order? You punish them. I prefer getting rid of their luxuries and send them to bed without supper, and if they act up, a spanking across the bare ass with a belt is in order.
I will be writing to everything single MPP and MP and I am going to tell them to vote nay on back to work legislation. If Local 113 wants to be a bunch of children, (Typical among Union Extremists.) let them and their families starve and lose their homes. However to those who rely on the TTC, with some of my friends and family members included. I will be carpooling and driving them around.
It’s time to help each other out and tell the mayor and councilers that the TTC can eat dirt. The union will crack and when they are on the verge of collapse and become desperate, give them $10 an hour no sick or vacation time, no benefits, no pension, and no hope. Tell the local 113 how well they had it before.
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I think ATU 113 did themselves more harm than good pulling this last minute strike.
1) They pulled service at 12 midnight, NOT the end of service at 2AM. This stranded hundreds/thousands of commuters midway through trips.
2) Barely even a few hours notice of the strike. Many/most commuters didn’t find out about the strike deadline until it would be too late.
Because of these factors, I heard reports of a collector having to barricade himself in a broom closet at Queen station to avoid an angry mob. TTC constables, supervisors and TPC police had to make rounds of the stations, rescuing any remaining staff and clearing out any rebellious bunches.
Good one Kinnear: I’m sure your workers will be thrilled with you because your last minute strike to avoid any problems ended them up in a broom closet surrounded by a mob.
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Like Steve I don’t like to comment publicly on union matters. Last weekend’s tense but fair, negotiated settlement between the TTC and its Unions was good for transit in Toronto.
So I was surprised last night as I listened to Mark Daly on CP24 announce the union vote 65% rejecting the agreement; especially after “Michael” an ATU driver told me earlier in the day he predicted a 70/30 vote in favour. It happens.
As I sat in the comfort of my home listening to Mark Daly, however, I was stunned as I grasped the significance and consequences to riders of the ATU’s unexpected withdrawal of service in a little over an hour later at midnight.
With all due respect to Mr. Kinnear’s stated concern for his members “… to the dangers of assaults from angry and irrational members of the public.” I think a little reflection by the ATU is warranted as to whom is angry and irrational, let alone irresponsible to tens of thousands of riders dependent on the TTC, who were left in the lurch last night with no notice and no way to get home.
While no one wants to see an operator abused, even ATU members were surprised by the impetuous decision to halt service on an hour’s notice, rather than at the end of scheduled service … to allow folks to get home in an orderly fashion.
From p. A6 Saturday Star by Noor Javed:
A TTC strike on virtually one hour’s notice was totally unnecessary, completely irresponsible despite all the talk of members’ safety, and will set back the public’s trust and use of public transit in Toronto for years to come.
Mr. Kinnear has some serious explaining to do at today’s Union press conference.
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Kinnear has, on a platter, handed the government the perfect justification to declare public transport an essential service as the way to legislate the TTC back to work.
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No one would accuse me of failing to support workers.
My own biases are many, but include a strong belief in the fair treatement of all workers (from top management to entry-level staff).
I support workers fighting for job security, for fair wages, for sick pay etc.
However, the vote last night, and the subsequent job action w/o notice leave me shaking me head.
I’m not one for proposing silly and spiteful penalties; but beyond punishing an executive that’s lost its mind, I am leaning towards the notion of a pay-freeze for TTC drivers/operators now.
I was not before. I firmly believe in awarding increases inline with inflation. But turning down what certainly seems to be, on its face a very fair agreement with above-inflation wage increases and then following an order from the executive to strike that is, at best, impetuous, unwise and unreasonable… should not come without some penalty.
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Kinnear is a disgrace. What about the safety of all the people stranded downtown?
Thanks to him the TTC union just jumped the shark.
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Well this mom who relies on the transit system is one that was out last night and was on the last bus on my route and guess what most of us riders where unaware that we were about to get stranded. Thank God I made it home with child in tow.
I do suport a right to strike, but I do not suport a sudden loss of service, that left many in the lurch last night. I think there are many answers that need to given, especially by those at the top.
As for workers feeling in danger last weekend, that statement is rubbish as all I too saw was politeness on the 4 different routes I was on.
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I was in the Danforth Road and Birchmount area last night, and I was leaving a party at around 12:00A.M. Since the Birchmount Division is located there, Bus after Bus after Bus that was not in service kept on pulling into the yard. One bus driver stopped in front of the bus stop I was waiting at. He said, “The 113 Danforth is not in-service, there is no service, we are on strike, I don’t know what to say bud, but your best bet is to find a taxi”.
I took a cab from Danforth Road and Birchmount to Queen and Coxwell, it cost about $13.25 not bad at all. This union seems to be willing to do anything to get what they want. Steve did you see Adam Giambrone’s face in the news conference, he was quite edgy in the background and you can tell he did not expect this at all. He was hoping for that tentative deal to be agreed by the union members.
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Like most contributors to this site I support public transit and like most who have already commented I support free labour bargaining BUT the leadership of Local 113 is clearly ‘crazy’. They have certainly made almost every Torontonian angry, definitely destroyed their own credibility and trust-worthiness and made it virtually certain that a settlement will be imposed on their members. I doubt it will be a better one and may well be worse or longer.
In addition, the City now seems resigned to making a request to the Province to make the TTC an essential service and I suspect that the public support for this course of action has gone from well below 50% to well over 80%. If I were a member of Local 113 I would be VERY angry with my ‘leadership’.
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Is Local 113 trying to be declared an essential service? Is that what this has all been about? Because that’s the only plausible motivation for rejecting this contract I can think of.
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The ATU exec, with Bob Kinnear as its champion, is incompetent. Full stop.
In one fell swoop, they managed to completely erase any public goodwill they may have enjoyed previously. Moreover, their actions all but guarantee that the government will pass not just back-to-work legislation, but rather take the more permanent step of declaring the TTC an essential service. Not only will this significantly diminish the union’s bargaining position in this negotiation, but in all future negotiations as well.
What boggles the mind is how politically naive they must be. Taking away a union’s right to strike would have been extremely damaging to pro-labour politicians like Mayor Miller, but the irresponsible manner in which this strike was called has made it beyond easy – necessary even. The most pro-union members of the public will have difficulty finding fault in the mayor’s appeal to Queen’s Park.
All the ATU had to do was wait a day or two. Give notice, like they repeatedly promised they would. It would have made it much, much more difficult to garner political support for declaring the TTC an essential service.
What they’ve done instead is load the gun and point it at their own heads.
Personally, I hope TTC management takes the negotiated deal off the table and hardballs the union, now that they’ll no longer have the ability to hold millions of Torontonians hostage.
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There are three dead men walking today: Bob Kinnear, Adam Giambrone and David Miller. This strike will play nicely into the hands of right-wingers on council and Queen’s Park in the push for more automation and privatization of the system. Karen Stintz or whoever becomes Miller’s main opponent has been handed a gift-wrapped example of how the cozy relationship between Miller and unions did not buy us labour peace.
Giambrone will be out as TTC chair because of this failure and the need to run to Queen’s Park for back-to-work legislation, and probably will face a serious challenge at election next year. And Kinnear will face a union with vastly fewer members when the political will to replace collectors with fare cards and contract out maintenance, cleaning and repairs develops as a result of this.
Steve: I only see one dead man: Kinnear. We don’t even know if he has the support of his members or can be trusted to bargain in good faith. 65% of those who voted rejected the contract. How many voted in total? How many didn’t bother assuming it would be ratified? How much disinformation has been spread about the actual content of the agreement?
Both Miller and Giambrone have been handed, gift wrapped, the perfect excuse to demonstrate that they are not soft on labour. Earlier this morning, Adam Giambrone was on CP24 talking about how he was considering his position on a request for “essential service” status very seriously. He’s still undecided, but to even suggest he would lean that way shows just how badly the ATU has hurt its relationship with the Left on council, not to mention the reputation of public service workers generally.
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I find it surprising that some here, including Steve, have a feeling that Kinnear wanted a strike all along. Maybe I’m being taken in by his “slick” look and the fact that there was a 48-hour notice period in effect during negotiations, and he called a press conference two weeks ago to say they were planning to continue negotiations another week.
I worked in a unionized position for 8 years and there was a former union president who just had to speak at every contract ratification meeting to tell us the story of when the union local was formed and went on strike for its first contract. It made me wish I could play the violin. This person made me realize there are people who are so pro-union that they honestly believe the union exists as an end in itself instead of a means to an end for its members (the story behind that is beyond the scope of this blog). I swear that this individual would have a mental orgasm if given the chance to walk a picket line again.
Kinnear does not strike me as that sort of person. However, on the other hand, what he should have done if he wasn’t pre-disposed to see a strike, would be to have declared a work-to-rule campaign starting at midnight when they would stop collecting fares. The TTC probably would have been forced to lock them out the next day. I know that lock-outs tend to be seen by the general public as no different from a strike, and the blame tends to fall on the union, especially the front line operators and collectors, but what a public relations score they could have made when unsuspecting riders out to clubs, concerts, and such found a free ride on the way home!
That move might have stuck in the public’s mind when the system was shut down the next day by the TTC. Instead, the public got a knee to the groin.
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If our friend Bob did this to show Gary that he has the power, then I say it’s time that we rise up and show both of them that neither has the power – WE do, we the public.
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I’m frustrated by the number of comments (mostly reported in the papers) that generically blame “the TTC”. Management did everything they could — perhaps more than they should have — to avert this strike. Blame the union for their sense of entitlement and their broken promise of 48 hours’ notice.
I also find it fascinating this is all going on amidst discussion of Metrolinx’s latest proposals. If transit isn’t essential to the city now, Metrolinx sure wants to make it that way. Now would be an excellent time to get “essential service” status reflected in legislation.
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I too am a supporter of the transit workers cause, but, they have made it extremely difficult to do so this time. Mr. Kinnear needs to learn proper tact, he promised customers 48 hours notice. I would say now, his membership will face even more ‘abuse’ because of the action he has taken.
Steve I know you have commented in the past about communication on the part of the TTC, I think its interesting when one visits the subway/rt service status page.
If you take a look at it, it says all four subway/rt lines are shut down, but with shuttle bus service running. Just an interesting note!
Steve: This looks like a canned message that is constructed from input parameters saying a line is down from “x” to “y”. The main TTC page has a notice of the strike, but it is certainly amusing to see that they can’t post a meaningful advisory for people who go directly to that page.
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Unfortunately this is only the beginning of trouble for the city of toronto.Obviously without real leadership and a government gripped by a flawed philosophy the taxpayer is in for higher taxes and less service.All of those groups politicians and advocates who have supported the union and accepted political contributions from the union should apologize to the citizens of toronto.I wonder if the NDP will even comment on this strike.
Steve: I am tempted to talk about governments that have flawed philosophies about tax cuts and a diminished role for the public sector, but this is a situation where people shouldn’t be trying to score political points for the utter irresponsibility of one union local.
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Tried posting this last night around 2am, but the page crashed and wouldn’t let me retry…anyway…
Steve: Sorry about that. I believe my ISP was messing with their configuration, again.
As one who was left holding the bag and having to rush to catch the last a last train toward Downsview at 11:40, I was right irritated – and generally am a patient rider and transit supporter. I was cursing the union loudly and giving the approaching subway driver the finger. Childish…sure, but no more so than this 2 hour notice BS.
I was doing some part time call centre work, and can theoretically hike the 3.5 km if necessary on Monday – but we were given the chance to leave a 1/2 hr early with pay. It was by absolute luck we were able to find out about it – a random check of the Globe and Mail when things were slack. As for colleagues that have to journey to the far reaches of the city and beyond, a two hour notice was the worst PR blunder ATU 113 could have taken.
By stranding people downtown – who were oblivious to the strike while at work (like we nearly were), a show, event or just a night out; stranding third shift workers (many who are of lower income in the city’s periphery) who rely on the TTC religiously; and giving weekend workers or transit users less than half a blink to try to figure out alternate plans (like my friend who had Wonderland passes for a promotion Saturday, but has to figure out how to get there from Flemingdon Park) ATU 113 has fallen flat on its face. The least they could have done was not taken fares from midnight until 5am and let people clear out of downtown and get home from their points across the city.
I would say that it’s time for Bob Kinnear to move on if he can’t muster the support of his union (gigantic elephant tears from me, that’s for sure). The farcical labour action 2 years ago showed that Bob has no control over his message…this continues it. And the Worth a Million campaign, well we’ll see how long it takes for the signs to be either vandalized or removed by the ATU, or for the website to have a visit from a frustrated hacker.
Any goodwill I expressed to the transit union (and I supported the 2005 TWU strike in New York) is shot, and now lying on the pavement getting run over by the bumper to bumper traffic on the DVP and Gardiner.
From “Worth a Million” to “Screw You ATU!”
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thanks Steve for your comments and your extra diligence in fastforwarding what folks are saying.
It is useful to hear the anger from transit and union supporters. Large employers do need large “no’s” back to them, especially on working conditions, but clearly a lot of less fortunate people than the TTC workers are being harmed by this abrupt stoppage.
In Curitiba, apparently there is a different model of providing transit services in that the city provides the hardware and they then choose an operator/group to provide them, and apparently the former unions do have to bid for their multi-year employment. We might wish to have some fact-finding exploring this as we head into a different world.
Steve: Alternative delivery schemes involving a 9000+ collection of staff do not go into place overnight, and in the context of the current strike, this is not the time to be talking about, in effect, outsourcing the entire TTC operation.
The union needs to stop their “mine’s bigger than yours” tiff with TTC management, and speak honestly to the TTC, the mediators, their membership and most importantly the public about precisely what is wrong with the proposed contract. Then we can get on with proper negotiations and with a public understanding of whether they actually have a valid issue, why it wasn’t raised before, and what, if anything, should be done to correct the situation.
Meanwhile, Queen’s Park should legislate them back to work in time for Monday morning, and the ATU should go willingly. If they think they will face insults now, wait until the whole city has to find a replacement for their commuting trips. Waiting to go back on Tuesday or later is not an option, and if Queen’s Park isn’t going to end this tomorrow, McGuinty will have a lot of explaining of his own to do.
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Steve, As I watched this scenario unfold on the news before our eyes last night, I came to a conclusion a little different than most.
I’ve belonged to a union situation for years (not that I’ve always agreed with them,but that’s another story). Just an observation, but it appears to me that there is major infighting within the union itself.
I don’t mean anything to do with the maintainance situation. I mean that within the higher echelons of local 113, there appears to be a possible power struggle. I think to appease that significant group for his power, Kinnear had to pull them out. Now, I’m speculating. But, if it is true (and I think the signs are there), we as the consumers, and the local membership, have a lot more to worry about.
All infighting would leave union offices and relocate to shop (or garage) floors. Anything then would be reason for arguement (be it union vs union or union vs management) and disputes. Let’s hope I’m wrong, but I truly believe they were hauled at midnight for that very reason.
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On the plus side, the TTC will most certainly be labeled an essential service, and Mr. Kinnear will be out of a job by the end of the week. Miller wanted the 48 hour notice, but Mr. Kinnear refused. 24 hour notice should have been the bare minimum, so that people waking up for Saturday work or plans would not wake to find themselves SOL.
The TTC NEEDS to be labeled an essential service. When Durham Region Transit went on strike a year or two ago, there was hardly as much of a media circus around it. But Durham has been built for the car, and Toronto was not. Ultimately, Toronto is better for it. But it cannot be held hostage by irrational unions and questionably reasonable contracts.
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Something interesting I noticed that has come out in other news reports, and further reinforces the severity of communication problems with the bodies involved; different parts of the system seem to have gotten the notice at different times. The message wasn’t picked up by TTC collector booths until 11:23pm according to some sources. That’s barely over a half-hour’s notice for subway users, and probably why you didn’t find out about it until you got off at Broadview, Steve.
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This surprise strike is just a very effective way to piss off every TTC customer and lead to escalated tension. I wonder if it’s going to be ironic if the number of dispute and possibly assault hikes in the future as a result of this bad PR incident while full sick pay was bargained for on the table.
Aside from this is there any sort of group action that can be brought about by the customers for the cost incurred against ATU local 113?
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In my previous post I didn’t mean to be so harsh at Unions. And to clear the air on here, I am for unions. My primary concern is that people who are in the right wing in the poltical spectrum will use this as an excuse to attack transit, and unions who wants job security, fair wages, benefits, and a good pension. I can think of some unions who would want half of the goodies the 113 people have, and be happy about it.
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I’m getting rather concerned about retaliation from the public. It’s only lunch-time on the first day of the strike, and there’s already reports from other blogs of vandalism, such as spray-painted slogans at Spadina and Union stations. Some parts of the system are very vulnerable, and this is the worst day of the week to have the public-at-large extremely upset with you.
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City boy at heart
That’s an intriguing angle I hadn’t thought of before. But it does make sense, and highlights the power struggle that Kinnear won’t win, since at some point drivers are going to complete the equation: Stupid ATU PR equals front line driver abuse. Let’s see the fireworks when ticket booth collectors who had to close up meet the brass.
Oh and Bob, don’t let the door hit you in the backside on your way out
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I think Kinnear lost control of the situation and is playing catch-up with his own membership. I frankly believe his own union will can him as their leader the next opportunity they get. I mean, consider this: this was a deal that Kinnear negotiated, that he worked to ensure the majority of the union executive supported, but the members balked on him. Seven out of sixteen executive members walked out, and 65% of the workers who voted on ratification voted to defeat the deal. That’s a cry out against his leadership.
So, I would save some (but not all) of the criticism for Kinnear, here. The bad news is, if he is dismissed as union boss, it will be because the membership thinks he was too lenient with management. Whoever replaces him might be even more militant.
Steve: I am going to look for the silver lining here. Based on the hopeless quality of “communications” between Kinnear, the media and the public, it is clear that he has a hard time articulating a position at the bargaining table, and that this position shifts with the wind.
The union would be well-served by someone who states clearly what they want, gives concrete examples with specific reference either to their own contract or to others, and demonstrates why the union’s position is a valid one.
All that Bob Kinnear has done is to waste the good will of all Torontonians on a pointless strike, and leave his own front line staff, the members he is oh so worrired about, to carry the can when, inevitably, service resumes.
From a public relations point of view, it would also do Local 113 good to have a public face that didn’t travel with a cadre of men in black who make the union look more like second-rate mafia wannabees than responsible representatives of their members.
Some members may think that this presents an image of strength. To me, it shows the weakness of a schoolyard bully.
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Steve: You must have edited Hamish’ contribution, because we didn’t get to the part about how the strike was caused by the Front Street Extension.
Steve: Mark this as a Red Letter Day!
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Can someone please explain to me what “job security” means to TTC employees? I don’t have it – I do my job, I try to do it well, I hope not to get fired – and neither do most other people in the world.
I don’t drive, I commute by TTC exclusively. And I am happy to take the TTC – 90+ times out of 100 it gets me where I need to go, in a relatively timely manner. But this? Is ridiculous. I’ve just MapQuested and it’s 9 miles for me to walk to work from my home. (And if I can stay with friends who live about halfway, about 4.5 miles.) But how will I get to their place? I’ll have to walk it, I guess.
I understand the historic relevence and importance of unions, but the last month of waiting on tenterhooks to see if I can get to work has pushed me further and further into an anti-union position. I am sure there are loads of people who would love to work under the contract that just got rejected – let’s give them the jobs!
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