Well, it's that time again. It happens every three years. Our contract is up with TTC at the end of March, we rejected their first offer, which we always do and are waiting for next one, which will also get rejected. Don't you hate predictable games? I do, with a passion. It's the same game many of us play in our relationships. I don't play well. I guess I'm too honest, which is a real turn off to some people, refreshing to others. I am learning to be honest with out hurting peoples feelings. It is a balancing act of tact, wisdom, patience and knowing when to keep your mouth shut. Fortunately, I do learn from my mistakes and am always looking for self improvement. I wish the TTC and the Amalgamated Transit Union would do the same. It is not a good relationship. I've never understood how organizations with the name "Union" in them can create so much "disunity". It's all about the money. They want to spend less, and we want more. Quite frankly, I would be happy if they just left everything the same and just gave us an inflationary increase. They want to take away things we already have. That is not acceptable. Being a bus/streetcar/train operator is not as easy as it looks. If driving large vehicles in bad city traffic was not stress full enough, we also get abused and assaulted by the public in every way imaginable, just for doing our jobs. We get spit on, punched, kicked, sworn at, stabbed, and shot. Mostly just for asking people to pay for their ride and sometimes because we work on the streets of an increasingly dangerous city and happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We've had two drivers shot in the past year and have lost their careers as a result. On top of that, due to poor management planning we are short of equipment and there are not enough buses on the road to carry all the people that want to ride them. On any given day we have 10 to 20 drivers sitting in the division with no bus to drive. Imagine what that does to the other drivers on the line and the customers who need to get to work. Talk about everyone being frustrated. They waste money like it was water by opening a multi-million dollar division, then deciding not to use it. Spending millions of dollars on another and then closing it down. But, they don't have any money? If they would give us more responsibility by allowing us to communicate with each other by installing a two way radio system, we could run the lines much better than a supervisor sitting in his office looking at an outdated computer system asking questions like " where are you?". Aren't they supposed to know. When you treat people like a bunch of idiots, what do you think you are going to get in return? Thank God I carry a cell phone. We could do with half the management staff and save TTC millions of dollars and the customer would be much happier. IT works for Toyota, why not TTC?
I think stikes are stupid. They have outlived their purpose. Transit in a big city has become an essential service. Stop the games and make it so. IF we can't agree on the terms of the contract, get a disinterested third party to decide in arbitration what is best for everyone.
I would agree to that.
I might be moving to HSR anyway. Closer to home. Hamilton. Closer to God too I think.
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Buses are an essential service. We need more of them to make travelling them easier. This takes money, lots of money. If governments are supposed to be so serious about reducing polution and traffic congestion they need to put up the money for the equipment needed and the drivers. Strikes should be illegal and be given over to compulsory arbitration.
I don't ride the busses but I understand their importance to communities. It will never be a money making proposition. Yet with good planning, leadership and well trained drivers: polution, reduced traffic loads and a safer environment can be achieved.
This adversarial environment between corporations and the workers must change. Fairness and service should be the hallmarks.
I work as a Nurse - most times I'm 14-17 months without a contract. Since my job is an essential service, I'm not permitted to strike in any way, shape or form. It's really frustrating - but the retropay is very nice. This year, I must admit, the union surprised us - we have a contract, ratified and everything, 6 weeks before our current contract expires....and it's a great contract!! Never know, dougieg - maybe the union will surprise you!
tlc...... let's hope so. As I said, I would rather be considered an essential service than have the right to strike, which I think is very counter productive. I think being appreciated and knowing the service you offer is important to the community and you are making a difference is even more important than the money part of it. To me that is secondary. I want to make a difference for the better in and where I work. Then I will know I am serving God through my employment. I see myself as a public " God servant" and try to act accordingly.( most of the time)
Thanks for your positive input sis.
( You too Joe!).... my big brother!
I like your 3rd party idea - that makes more sense to me.
Of course, no matter how "disinterested" they might be, both sides would accuse them of being biased.
I'm not a big union fan either, although I know they've done good things in the past.
Did anyone see that Dofasco is now inviting in a union to see if the employees want to be unionized???!!! Wow. I think a hot place just cooled a little bit.
I agree with most of what you have written. But, there is one advantage of being in the TTC Union that is a big factor. Due to the fact that about 80% of Torontonians use the transit system, the authorities are not going to allow the city to be paralyzed for very long --two or three days at the most---then, you get your arbitration. Not so in Hamilton. The last HSR strike lasted about three months. There were a lot fewer people to be inconvenienced in Hamilton. This is where I think the Province should rule out strike action for all transit systems in Ontario and bring in compulsory arbitration. The unions still have a very important function by acting on behalf of the members in drafting the terms of the contract and enforcing the conditions between contracts.
I think you nailed it right on Doug and Don.
I'd agree with those comments as well..
Wouldn't mind another decent driver on the HSR.... the TTC has its share of problems, but the HSR is abysmal and its drivers seem to reflect the difficulty of their job more.
(I suppose that is because the HSR is largely taken out of economic necessity, and not convenience like Toronto so their consumer base is drastically different).
I still don't get how a bus pass is made to be more expensive than buying 10 tickets a week - what does that say to commuters? I think in the summer I'm just going to walk everywhere.
Public Transit in Hamilton is not viewed as a necessity by the politians. They see it as a cash cow rather than an asset. Most people still drive everywhere and parking is still reasonable. It is only the marginalized in society, ie: students/elderly/low income that are forced to take transit. The ridership here is about 50,000 per day verses Toronto's record 1,500,000. I think it is the other way around. Transit in TO is a necessity for most people. The cost of living is so high that most people cannot afford to drive. If you don't own a car and need transit to go anywhere and you use it for more than just going to and from work, a pass is definetly a good buy. If all you do is commute to work 5 days a week, then tickets are the way to go.
That is usefull knowledge for Kim and I who are still really wishing we were able to move to Hamilton as soon as we can.
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