Saturday, July 18, 2009

We Got Trouble In Garbage City

This fellow didn't want to wait, so the police stepped in.

And its quite true, mild weather does not help the CUPE cause. On the other hand, strikers rejecting the City of Windsor's offer after 14 weeks has stiffened a few T.O. spines. "If they can hold out, why can't we?" goes the reasoning.

In an interesting twist, CUPE is behind on strike pay, and has been shorting quite a few of its members to the tune of about $40 per cheque. A number of them may be going to the union HQ on Monday to get some answers--the union picketing the union, as it were.

Meanwhile, the wife and I are getting on fine. We've discovered that you don't really need to waste heat and electricity cooking your Kraft dinner. You just suck on a fistful of macaroni until it gets soft, and then chew. Also, if it comes to it I have a few old belts lying around that I can boil and eat for extra calories.

We'll be fine until Labor Day.

6 comments:

Ti-Guy said...

I didn't know you (or your wife) were on strike.

bigcitylib said...

Wife is, I am suffering along with her.

Anonymous said...

For this mess Torontonians can blame their left-wing mayor and the Premier of Ontario who is acting more like Pontius Pilate than the premier of Canada's largest province.

bigcitylib said...

Still beats Musaboo, PC.

ADHR said...

FYI, from what I hear, CUPE 3903 also had trouble with strike pay. Not on the local's end -- because of CUPE national. Apparently, the national office weren't fans of living up to their obligations to make up a share of strike pay. Very odd, shall we say, that two more locals are having problems meeting strike pay obligations.

Jay said...

To be honest, the city is not much dirtier and garbage laden than when Mel Lastman was mayor and the employees were NOT striking. The trash is just in bags and piled up now. Under Mel it was strewn evenly across the city.

I moved here in 2000 and though to myself what a crock about Toronto being a clean city. Miller may be a shitty negotiator but he had cleaned the place up and the green spaces and parks had never looked better.

Good luck with the strike BCL, I called my supervisor two weeks ago and told him I am not returning after the strike and I am starting a new job on monday with a another level of government that signed their collective agreement last fall! 3 smooth sailing years ahead!