London, Ontario Transit Strike

I am shocked to hear yet more of this transit strike in the South Ontario town of London, Ontario.

First, the background info:
London is a small city, with a population of 352,395 people. Greater Toronto has a population of 5.5 million, and Ontario a population of over 12 million people (StatCan, 2006).

London has a bus transportation system, necessary for many to get to work, both paid and volunteer, and university (UWO, and Fanshawe College). There has been much whining and whinging on CBC, with folks directly affected by the strike being featured on interviews.

Not that I begrudge this, much, but Central Ontario has no local transit, and many of our feeble, and housebound folks depend on the kindness of family, friends and volunteers (e.g., Cancer Society) to deliver those in need to health care professionals.

The strike, begun Nov. 16, 2009. "ATU-741 represents 450 bus drivers, maintenance workers and support staff, and the strike has effectively paralyzed London’s public transit system.", LINCHPIN reports. Now, we read: "We regret to advise that ATU Local 741 members have turned down the [London Transit] Commission's final offer as tabled on Friday, December 5, 2009."

Things are heating up. The offer of $25 per hour, has been refused by ATU Local 741
Issues of concern: regularly scheduled lunch breaks, a 12 per cent wage increase over three years and improvements to dental and short-term disability benefits. One retired bus driver quotes the original demands of 20% increase. How excessive, with inflation running at 0%!

Now, to my mind, in this current economic climate, parity with regional municipalities ought not to be a concern at this point in time. In the past few years, unions have been off on rather interesting bents, while neighbours, and local business owners experience job losses.  ATU Local 1724, in B.C., has been on strike since October 29, 2009 because the employer MV Transportation is attempting to eliminate their pension plan and erode health benefits.

"Ontario's manufacturing sector hardest hit by recession ... "

and, "Pointing to report statistics – in the last two years London has lost 18 per cent of its manufacturing job base, more than 7,200 jobs have left the region – OFL President Wayne Samuelson pulled no punches pointing the finger at both the Stephen Harper Conservative Government and the federal Liberal Party." from Londontopic.ca

Sure, blame the Feds, but when and where does the buck stop? This is an World-wide issue, and Canadians are going to become more aggrieved as this kind of behaviour continues.

Union leaders have to get a grip! How can they face their family, friends and neighbours they meet in the bank or grocery store queue, as they continue to benefit (click on the PDF image for more info)  from their sick leave benefits, guaranteed pensions, long-term disability benefits, dental coverage, and wage increases from $23.08 to $25.23 per hour. Not that all those in unions haven't had such benefits, but times they are a-changing. Talk to those who have lost their jobs. Online comments in the Lond papers are beginning to change their tone!

This morning, CBC radio - our 'regional' news comes from Toronto, with news from London,  featured
a shocking interview with London's mayor, Anne Marie DeCicco, who has been threatened by the ATU Union Boss, was told that "If Anne Marie hears footsteps behind her, it could be us!"

This has gone way too far. This is a threat to her personal safety, and gives all unions a bad name. Taxpayers in London ought to rise up in arms, those who have incomes left to tax. I would have him charged by the police ASAP, and demand his resignation.

unions, employees and employers

Re: Air Canada negotiations

In this economic climate it is a shame that everyone cannot work together to create a strategy that will look after all stakeholders: employees, retirees, business travellers, business owners, and the travelling public. And airline travel is, after all, not a right but a business that those who chose to use must pay for - not the taxpayer. Air Canada lost $1 billion last year.

The economy, the cost of gas, the cost of travel has been taken up by clever entrepreneurs, like WestJet, who have written new business policies, and changed their employee strategies, to take this business into the new millennium. Air Canada, a legacy airline, with pensioned employees that weigh down current union members, continues to fight for survival. Labour concessions on the part of airlines, like the Brits, mean reduced travel routes, reduced options for travellers, and more time wasted trying to get from here to there. Air Canada used to be government-owned, but that is a long time ago. Such private business corporations have unionized employees who cannot see the big picture.

The high cost of travel is based on employees who make high wages for fairly unskilled work, as well as the high cost of fuel, and underfunded pension plans. The baggage handlers (many are 50-somethings with bad backs) and flight attendants being replaced by 'cheap and cheerful' services on competitor's airlines, with lower wages but an increasing market share. Where else could such people make $50,000/year, except in the auto industry ($70,000/yr. to build cars) but then we know what has happened to THAT industry.

Pension issues are a difficult topic. Retirees are unable to vote. Many need pensions to survive. Yet, our tax dollars cannot build bridges for the automotive industry either. With fewer Canadians employed, fewer tax dollars available, but an aging citizenry with bigger health care needs, we are at a rock and a hard place.

I think it is time to set blame aside and consider the needs of people, not unions, unions leaders, or employers. Otherwise, there will be no options. There isn't a huge market for these skilled employees (e.g.,machinists) in Canada. There have been 474,000 job cuts in Canada between October and June, according to Statistics Canada. And all of us will lose out if all stakeholders do not change their vision of Canadian industry. The success with which the world views Canadian economics will be moot.

Competition high in sky- As WestJet boosts service, Air Canada vows to fight for market share TheChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax,Nova Scotia,Canada MONTREAL COMPETITION is heating up between Canada's two largest airlines as Air Canada vowed this week to compete ...

Getting Real -- it's reality check time Financial Post - Toronto,Ontario,Canada That does not bode well for Air Canada employees, who would like to win back concessions they made when the airline plunged into bankruptcy early this ... This is an interesting read (Left Turn-below): when employers are trying to create two-tier employees, some grandfathered with benefits, others not. It does not seem fair to me. I pay several hundred dollars a month for heath care benefits, being a retired teacher. They just demanded that retired auto workers contribute $30/month. Seems right to me.

Left Turn:: Cyber-scabbing? Lessons for labour from the Windsor ... By Andrew Taylor Members of the largest union at Air Canada have narrowly voted to reject an extraordinary agreement that would have frozen their wages for the next 21 months and allowed the company to suspend payments into the employee pension plan.