Pending Transit Strike [MRG]

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

A lot of them probably have a lot tied up in pensions and what not. Just jumping ship on a job that youve had for a long time isnt easy.

It might be easier for young guys who just started, but not realistic for the long serving type.

It was reported on the supper newscast that some drivers were taking early retirement as they were tired of the BS associated with the labour negotiations.

[KevanGuy]

Transit Workers Vote To Strike
May, 03 2007 - 10:40 PM


CALGARY/AM770CHQR - Transit workers have voted 84.3 percent in favour of strike action.
Almost sixteen hundred workers cast ballots out of nearly twenty five hundred.
The executive will meet with its members next week to discuss their options.
They include a full scale strike or rotating job action.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by ken0042

They were discussing the lockout on TV. Basically the same guidelines as the union; they have to give 72 hours notice.

This doesn't surprise me. I can't see the city letting the workers do some sort of rotating job action.

I saw the guy from the city talking about how they can't allow the "rotating" thing or any action that would disrupt any service so they'll shut the whole thing down before they let it happen.

Would the union be compelled to give 72 hours notice before doing something like abandoning certain routes on a rotating basis, or is the 72 hours a blanket statement saying "in 72 hours we can do what we want" or would they have to specify what will happen like "routes 419, 21, 37 and 256 will not be running in 72 hours"?

I don't like the "game of chicken" (as they put it on CBC) going on here. If the union wants to do some rotating crap then that sucks, but the city shouldn't lock them out. I'd rather transit was running 75% of the time instead of 0% of the time.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

I saw the guy from the city talking about how they can't allow the "rotating" thing or any action that would disrupt any service so they'll shut the whole thing down before they let it happen.

Would the union be compelled to give 72 hours notice before doing something like abandoning certain routes on a rotating basis, or is the 72 hours a blanket statement saying "in 72 hours we can do what we want" or would they have to specify what will happen like "routes 419, 21, 37 and 256 will not be running in 72 hours"?

I don't like the "game of chicken" (as they put it on CBC) going on here. If the union wants to do some rotating crap then that sucks, but the city shouldn't lock them out. I'd rather transit was running 75% of the time instead of 0% of the time.

But if you didn't know if your bus was going to arrive, isn't that almost the same thing as there being no buses available?

Are you going to wait at a bus stop if you don't know if the bus is going to come? If it means you may miss work, then you cannot take the chance. I'm sure most employers may understand if you are late a day or two, but if they don't know when/if you will be showing up for an extended number of days then they may want you to make alternative arrangements.

The only thing a rotating strike would do is allow the union workers to continue to get a partial paycheck and drag the strike out even longer.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

The only thing a rotating strike would do is allow the union workers to continue to get a partial paycheck and drag the strike out even longer.

That was my line of thinking when the union suggested a rotating strike. They say it's because they don't want to hurt the transit rider, but, I have a feeling drivers have bills like the rest of us and would rather miss a few days pay as opposed to losing all pay and being on the picket lines.

If the city locks them out the union will put out it's spin saying riders should be upset at the city and not them. Me thinks it would be a short strike if they are locked out. Strike pay is not going to come close to paying the bills and financial concerns will force the drivers back to work.

[Bill Bumface]

What a freaking mess. The city should just cancel their orders of the new "Shuttle Buses" or pay drivers the full rate for operating them. It's pretty shady what they are trying, and this way they can call the transit union's bluff if they really aren't too concerned about the wage part.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

But if you didn't know if your bus was going to arrive, isn't that almost the same thing as there being no buses available?

The way I heard it, we'd know in advance which routes or sectors of the city would be on strike on which days. Like they would announce it and you'd figure it out for yourself. IE --"my bus won't be running on Wednesday and Friday". That's better than taking "alternative measures" every day of the week, though I do agree that this could drag it out even longer.

It's moot anyway, because the city isn't going to give them the chance.

[Harbourmouth]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

The way I heard it, we'd know in advance which routes or sectors of the city would be on strike on which days. Like they would announce it and you'd figure it out for yourself. IE --"my bus won't be running on Wednesday and Friday". That's better than taking "alternative measures" every day of the week, though I do agree that this could drag it out even longer.

It's moot anyway, because the city isn't going to give them the chance.

And why should the city give them a chance? As far as i'm concerned they make a decent wage for their skill set and education level. They already make more than most university graduates make upon entering the work force, and these kids have 4 years of post-secondary education under the belt. This is getting ridiculous. I'll gladly car pool and walk to work everday (1 hour each way) if the city takes a hardline stance and doesn't budge. Being an Albertan doesn't automatically entitle you to a 30 dollar an hour job.

[Dion]

Cabbies say transit strike would overwhelm them

Cab companies won't be able to meet increased demand in the event of a transit strike or lockout, people in the taxi industry tell the Sun.

http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/Alberta/...57890-sun.html

[brooklyn]

Latest offer from the City is 12% over 36 months and the union wants 13% over 30 months. Plus the City is offering $5 - $10 in additional "out of settlement" raises for hard to fill jobs.... and the union wants more!!

How many high school dropouts do you know making over $100K/year?

The City should fire all of these greedy morons!

[Flames09]

Originally Posted by brooklyn

Latest offer from the City is 12% over 36 months and the union wants 13% over 30 months. Plus the City is offering $5 - $10 in additional "out of settlement" raises for hard to fill jobs.... and the union wants more!!

How many high school dropouts do you know making over $100K/year?

The City should fire all of these greedy morons!

Transit workers dont make over $100,000 a year and wouldn't even after the strike, and I know quite a few (actually more then a few) highschool dropouts making over $100,000 a year.

[metallicat]

I work for the city here in Edmonton, not transit, but a transportation department nonetheless. Just last year, we turned down our contract offer from the city, and essentially voted to strike. The problem was that the city was absolutely not going to give our union any more money. The contract offered raises better than any other city department, including the police. So we voted again, and it passed the second time.

Maybe the transit union needs to realize that what the city is offering, is all they are going to get. I just hate unions right now. Working for the city is not going to make anyone rich, if you want to make a ton of cash, go up north because there is plenty of work up there.

[ken0042]

The thing that gets me is they have never told us; the customers, what the transit workers' demands will cost us.

If they said the current demands would put fares up to $2.50 and passes up to $80, I would say go for it. If it put fares to $4 and passes to $140; then I would tell them to tell the union to stuff it.

However my guess is its the first one that's closer.

[Dion]

It seems the sticking points are the shuttle buses and 18 inches.

I laughed when the city spokeswoman said i can't believe their going to strike over 18 inches

I expect the union will try rotating walk outs with the city locking them out. I just hope the idiots on the picket line realise the wages lost during a strike are never recovered. Stupid unions!

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

The City of Calgary is as much to blame for a possible strike as the workers are, the shuttle bus issue was one caused by the City and the purchase of new shuttle busses which are roughly the same size as a regular city bus, the only difference is that the CBA that the city has with the bus drivers states that the city can use cheaper part time workers to fill the positions. The city is using very underhanded techniques and there is a good reason that for the extremely high numbers of workers who want to strike.

[Roy Keane]

Originally Posted by Dion

It seems the sticking points are the shuttle buses and 18 inches.

I laughed when the city spokeswoman said i can't believe their going to strike over 18 inches

I expect the union will try rotating walk outs with the city locking them out. I just hope the idiots on the picket line realise the wages lost during a strike are never recovered. Stupid unions!

At least the union knows the correct usage of the word "their". It's "they're" as in "they are going to strike".

Why do you call people who are just trying to bargain for a fair wage and working conditions "idiots"?

[jeff9]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

The City of Calgary is as much to blame for a possible strike as the workers are, the shuttle bus issue was one caused by the City and the purchase of new shuttle busses which are roughly the same size as a regular city bus

As far as I know, the sizes of the new shuttle and full-size buses are far from close. The regular, full-size buses are 40 feet in length. And according to the Union, the new shuttle buses are "only 10 feet shorter", which is 25% difference in length, compared to the full-size buses. 10 feet is 1.5 times the length of a big 8-person dinning table!

In my opinion, the Union is trying to make false impressions to the public about the sizes of the buses.

[Fobby]

If I were to set up a carpool... what's the likelihood of me finding a parking spot remotely close to downtown?

Anyone lives in the SW?

[ken0042]

Note- once again I've moved posts from the other thread into this one. Let's keep the sticky one clean and just for information. Many people get their news from CP, and it's a lot easier to not have to wade through a whole lot of posts.

[ken0042]

One is for info on the strike- ie that Friday there will be no transit service. This one is to discuss the issues, implications, our personal feelings about CT in general, etc.