Comments on: A few thoughts on Garbage Strike ’09

By: Russ

Russ — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:51:39 +0000

Just a thought ... If Toronto residents are really fed up being held hostage under mounds of garbage, why not simply dump your garbage off in front of those picket lines of striking civil servants? Similarly, why not dump your garbage off at municipal offices, police stations, the mayor's residence, the residence's of City councilors, etc.? Wouldn't that make cleanup easier once the strike is over? (Always think ahead!). If anything, once opposing sides in this dispute are directly exposed to the rotting refuse they so flagrantly inflict on local citizenry, the smell alone might help remind them that their primary commitment is to the taxpayer! Personally, and as a rural resident, I have no great love for the hopelessly gridlocked, multi-confused 'Big Smoke' or whatever misery its residents so willfully endure. It could be argued that the smell of rotting garbage is a noticable improvement. It's all part of the "Manhattanization" experiment you sewer rats were all so fond of.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:56:42 +0000

Like you said in your post, public services have a monopoly and a strike will only hurt the public, not the employer. The idea behind the right to strike is to cease production and to hurt the employer, which does not happen for municipal, provincial, or federal services. The employer will simply use less of its budget.

I do not believe in the right to strike for public servants because the only person who ever suffers is you, the public. Nothing good ever comes from these strikes. I am a public servant and know that any strike on my part would destroy any faith that the public has in my organization and make public relations much more difficult.

“It’s also important to remember that unions are only accountable to their members, not the public.” This is untrue. Unions use dishonest tactics to get their members to feel oppressed and vote for a strike. The truth is that even when employees are treated very well, unions will find the smallest reason to make their members feel discontent and strike. Union members who disagree with the union are either ignored, ridiculed, shunned, or harassed. This is true, ask anybody who has ever tried to fight their union what kind of treatment they received.

Unions have their place, yes, and that is to provide a safe and fair work environment for their members, not to find the smallest imperfection in their life and hold the public hostage until they get what they want. These employees DO have a safe and fair work environment.

If my union ever votes to strike, I will hang my head in shame; public servants have it so good. Every public servant should take a year off and work for a private company; after that, we would see how much they have to complain about. I invite any public servant who says that they don’t have it good to make their working conditions public and see how the rest of the population reacts to their complaints.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:01:04 +0000

@SassAFrass I’m pretty sure striking only becomes an option when a contract expires. It expired yesterday, and there was no renewal, so a strike was called. If they were to strike while still in contract, it would be an illegal strike. That’s what Bob “Wildcat” Kinnear did last summer with the TTC.

By: SassAFrass

SassAFrass — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:48:12 +0000

I’m tired of hearing the boo-hooing over not have a satisfactory contract since January. Where was the strike then? Oh wait. It serves their purpose better if services like Public Pools and garbage pick-up stop in the SUMMER. I don’t want to hear a single word about how I should sympathize with their plight. This strike was malicious and manipulatively planned.

Fire them all – and start a new hiring process immediately.
I’d love to see how many of them re-apply for their job.

By: Matej

Matej — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:31:24 +0000

So much I could say, but it comes down to this: What I want at the end of the situation is for someone to reimburse me (and everyone affected) for the services our taxes have paid for but are currently not being provided.

By: Ry-Tron

Ry-Tron — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:21:42 +0000

One thing about the concessions and the unions refusal to take any more of them: The economic downturn is temporary. Contract concessions put into place now will be near-impossible to get back once the economy recovers. So while it can be easy to say “But look at the economy!”, it’s not so easy when you think 4 years down the line.

I’m fairly sure that someone must be bringing similar ideas like you’ve written to the table. Not being at that table, I’m not sure how feasible such options actually are or what complications would come along with them (there’s always a con for every pro), but thanks for not being pissed off just because someone isn’t going to take out your trash today, and for presenting what seem to be rational options. Our world will not end because of this strike, and I’ve got news for everyone; Toronto smelled like shit yesterday and it’d smell like shit next week. Just a bit more so, and thanks in no small part to people not recycling, composting, and throwing their garbage all over the street.