Tentative OC Strike Date. Dec. 10.

[Gateaux]

You aren't alone in your ideas by any means but it's how you put them into words that bother me. I'm sorry but you come across like a whiny baby.

You have repeated the same points over and over again in this thread all with that same undertone of personal slight.

I don't understand why you are so concerned about how much money these guys make? On an everyday basis these drivers have 100's of lives in their hands. There's people here at the Hospital making 22$ an hour washing dishes!!

[AD]

Well, the Halifax story and the unemployment numbers have nothing to do with the Ottawa strike.

If your son got frostbite, that definitely sucks, but how is this anyone's fault but whoever bundled up the kid?

Yes, it sucks all round. Get binding arbitration and get it over with.

And there are lots of people who support the strike. They MUST be in the minority though.

[Freak By Night]

I'm on your side Matt.

[AD]

I'm not on any side, I just want it to be over.

[mattm]

You're right gateux and I'm sorry if I come across as whiny. The strike is taking a toll and it's frustrating. I've removed the whiny stuff from my post so it's not so offensive.

AD: you're also right, it is our fault that little trey got a tiny little frostbite, of course it is but it's hard to cover his little face entirely because what if he can't breath? I wish cabs had car seats so we could go that route.

Sorry for bothering you guys, I'll just bitch to myself until this thing is over and we can all go back to our lives.

Thanks Freak

Edited December 16, 2008 by Guest

[Freak By Night]

Maybe the bus strike is a way to save the auto industry - forcing more people to buy cars.

[TheSloth]

I sincerely doubt Andre Cornellier wrote that press release.

[bradm]

Maybe the bus strike is a way to save the auto industry - forcing more people to buy cars.

Hmmm...a permanent bus strike would also force Ottawa city council to invest a lot more in roads, bridges, parking lots (to handle all the extra cars), and hospitals (more cars = more car accidents) which'd be a great boost to infrastructure, and create lots of jobs.

Aloha,

Brad

[rubberdinghy]

I sincerely doubt Andre Cornellier wrote that press release.

definately not....

BTW, if any of you missed the Citizen on the weekend....

Toronto $27.38 $56,950

Calgary $26.83 $55,800

Edmonton $26.73 $55,600

Ottawa $24.22 $50,380

[bradm]

Toronto $27.38 $56,950

Calgary $26.83 $55,800

Edmonton $26.73 $55,600

Ottawa $24.22 $50,380

I'd also need each city's cost of living to really make any conclusion from those numbers. (One comparison I found, which admittedly is from a few years ago, ranks Toronto as the 89th most expensive major city in the world to live in, while Ottawa ranks 124th.)

Aloha,

Brad

Edited December 16, 2008 by Guest

[rubberdinghy]

http://www.canadaimmigrants.com/

[Big Wooly Mammoth]

Toronto $27.38 $56' date='950

Calgary $26.83 $55,800

Edmonton $26.73 $55,600

Ottawa $24.22 $50,380

[/quote']

I'd also need each city's cost of living to really make any conclusion from those numbers. (One comparison I found, which admittedly is from a few years ago, ranks Toronto as the 89th most expensive major city in the world to live in, while Ottawa ranks 124th.)

Aloha,

Brad

except, I thoughtthat this wasn't about wages/salary. I really don't understand why binding arbitration (or any type of arbitration for that matter) is not happening. The city seems to be against it, or more precisely our glorious mayor is against it. I guess he isn't personally affected by the strike.

I also heard that in other cities, such as Toronto, there is a seperate run Transit authority which is independent of the city council. We need to look into something like that in Ottawa.

[AD]

Mr. Graham said to understand how important control over scheduling and route assignments is for drivers, people need to understand why it was included in the contract in the first place in 1999.

At the time, morale at the bus company was at an all-time low. He said the city’s scheduling was playing havoc on his members’ lives.

Mr. Graham said at the negotiating table, the municipality acknowledged the problems, and suggested the current system, which it now wants gone. In 1999, he said, the city said the system would result in inefficiencies that would add two per cent to the OC Transpo payroll, but that managers would accept it if the union agreed to an offsetting pay cut.

Mr. Graham said the union consulted with members and agreed everybody’s salary would be chopped two per cent to keep the payroll at the same level.

“That’s how important this is to our members,†Mr. Graham said. “They agreed to take a pay cut to get this, so they could have more control over their lives. It’s a huge, huge issue for our members, and (Mr. O’Brien) is dictating through the press that he’s just going to take it away. That’s not negotiations.â€

[bradm]

I also heard that in other cities, such as Toronto, there is a seperate run Transit authority which is independent of the city council. We need to look into something like that in Ottawa.

I saw Andrew Haydon on Rogers22 the other night (talking about light rail vs. bus-rapid transit), and he said that Ottawa used to have exactly that: an independent transit commission, as Toronto does. Apparently he suggested going back to an independent commission to Mayor O'Brien, but O'Brien did nothing about it.

Aloha,

Brad

[AD]

part of an independent commission or not, people are still going to have grievances with their employees or employer...

[ollie]

There's a store in Centretown with a big sign in the window that reads 'Thank you bus drivers for your selfishness during the holiday season.'

Do you know what store it is/was?

[AD]

It was either the Indian store at Bank and Gilmour, Wilde's, or the new little gym beside Herb and Spice.

[rubberdinghy]

I'm fine with binding arbitration.

There was a good article in the paper how arbitration could be bad for the city. We'd get our raise and keep our schedule, but it would cost tax payers money. Hence why the city was hesitant to make us an essential service.

A federal arbitrator already drew up a deal between the city and the union but the city turned it down.

I just thought I'd share what drivers across the country make.

and yes...It's Wilde's that has that sign up, saw a photo of it but can't find it now.

[Guest Low Roller]

Is is true that people are starting to picket the picketers at City Hall? If so, that is hilarious.

Since the city owns the busses, they should just hire scabs and keep the busses running.

[Velvet]

BTW, if any of you missed the Citizen on the weekend....

Toronto $27.38 $56,950

Calgary $26.83 $55,800

Edmonton $26.73 $55,600

Ottawa $24.22 $50,380

To me this list implies that OC Transpo drivers are the fourth highest paid bus drivers in Canada. Is that true?

Boy, the Montreal drivers must have it bad.

[rubberdinghy]

Not sure what the other numbers are...just thought I'd share.

[Booche]

Dinghy, that's pretty much the worst Jedi mind-trick I have ever seen.

[rubberdinghy]

My Jedi mind is slowly turning into mush.

[slavetothegroove]

For the record, our son didn't get frostbite, he was bundled well enough, the wind was just hard on his little cheeks that's all. It just sucks our resort to getting anywhere is having to walk when it's -20 outside, but such is life. They had to do it in the days before cars, I'm sure we can too. It's just hard to adjust when your used to the luxuries of being able to ride a bus and live in a city where everything is so spread apart.

[Davey Boy 2.0]

hey mattm and slave to the groove- we've got a car seat you can borrow if you like.

It's good from 5 - 22 lbs and 73 cm or less