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To all Ottawans: You should already know, without reading the rest of this post of what I am about to say. The OCT has gone too far and too long on this one.
The OCTranspo has been on strike since yesterday morning at 12:01AM (December 11, 2008), amidst a snowstorm, and has put the entire city in pretty much a standstill, a ground halt. Although the city is currently "earning" money through it, each individual in the city, I guarrantee you, is not. I know my family has already lost the greater half of a grand over these two days which is enough money to buy an annual OCT pass, for an adult.
Just what is this strike about? So far, through reading OCT drivers' comments on websites, I interpret the cause of the strike as a need for respect, safe environment, good wage, and fair hours... Which, in my opinion, is exactly what they are receiving right now, but okay, let's hear them out first.
First off, they are saying they want a wage increase of 10% over three years. This was pretty much their primary term in the initial proposal. The city said, no, that's too much, and offered 7% increase over 3 years with $2000 in lump sum to all transit workers - over 2000 of them. Just in lump sum, that is at least $4 000 000 distributed by the city, a city that currently has financial issues itself.
They refused, and said it isn't just about money, it's about respect and safety. Most of them don't know whether if they will make it home by the end of the night (what a load of bull shit). They say there's a possibility of people puking on them, and "attacking" them, and being rude (and which job that deals with the public doesn't?)
Then their next big term was the scheduling issue. The OCT wants block scheduling, and wants to choose the schedules themselves...
Yes, you must be INCREDULOUS at this point. Have you EVER heard of a job where you get to choose your schedules?
I can only imagine the conversation being like this:
Worker: "Yo, Boss! I want monday morning & aft, tuesday morning & aft, wednesday morning & aft, thursday off, and friday morning & aft. That only leaves you with the evenings and thursdays to cover... you want to do that man? Ya, thanks, that'd be great.
While you're at it, fetch me a beer and a paper. Then get down on your knees and suck me off."
I don't even need to say how crazy inefficient this is.
Next comes with the respect. I admit, some bus drivers really do deserve respect. The one I usually encounter on the 87 in the afternoon at Mackenzie King Bridge is very kind and helpful; but the majority of them tend to
a) drive past you a bit and make you run beside it
b) see you coming, and drive off (probably while also laughing manically, and twirling their handlebar moustaches) just for the schadenfreude
c) be COMPLETELY rude to you when you get on
I had one driver threaten to confiscate my month pass because I forgot to write the numbers in.
Thing is, if you want respect, please earn it. Back it up with actual skill, and the respect will come naturally, this is natural law. You can't be respected if you don't deserve it!
We are in an economic slump right now, and large numbers of people are getting laid off. Yet these chaps are pouring oil into the fire by slowing down the activities of the city, and demanding more conditions while they are at it. Hey geniuses, learn the art of retribution. When you fuck with the economy, the enonomy fucks you 10 times harder.
They just obliterated the Communism/Socialism ideal. I had hopes for communism, but now I realize this: humans do not deserve it. This is a huge blow against my beliefs, and now I will go hang myself.
Unions, what used to be organizations for workers' protection, are now abusing their powers and have lost of their original meaning. What they are doing is actually worse that what the Somalian pirates are doing. They are blackmailing the public and holding the city and the public at a ransom, when they finally do receive what they ask for, what do you think is gonna happen for the public? Nothing. What's the benefit for the public? Nothing. In fact, when the union does finally sink their hands into their pile of dirty money, the bus drivers will keep being rude, and the riders will keep getting screwed over.
I seriously feel that I am paying more and more for a poorer and poorer service.
I wonder how much the bus drivers make in the first place. I think I heard from more than one credible sources that the average pay is 60k per year. That's a lot considering what they do and how much education they need for this occupation. If you don't like your job, please quit. There are always people who are more than willing to replace you for less than what you make, and less perks than what you had. You knew the terms when you joined. Don't go complaining about the conditions now.
And I love how someone on a forum said
"alot of people have said in this thread "if they dont like their job they should quit"
why dont those people quit THEIR job and work closer to home so that a bus strike can't affect theM?"
What an intelligent remark. Oh boy, I can't believe how my life could've been complete without that comment. I can't believe how much thought and logic had been put into that rebuttal. Right now, people are disgruntled about OCT employees, not their current employers or their current working conditions. WE ARE ANGRY AT THE OCT, BUT WE STILL LOVE OUR JOBS. So there is absolutely no reason for us to quit... idiot.
Since the OCT crosses 2 provinces, it is out of the juristiction of the city and provinces. It is up to the federal government to enact the law of making transit an essential service, barring transit workers from striking. We all know how efficiently the government is working right now. Face it, we are doomed. All cities require a working public transportation system, pairing them alongside other famous city characters such as CuCu the cop car, Mamby the ambulance, Fucker the firetruck. I guess, in a way, what I'm trying to say is, unless Ottawa gets a proper transit system working, it will never be a very interesting or signifcant city.
Here are a few news clips of reporters talking to the Union head. It's funny because Andre was being totally incooperative for both, and that pretty much sums up what he has to say.
"I have no idea, give me some time to think of some blatant lie"
http://watch.ctv.ca/news/latest/commuter-chaos/#clip120211
http://www.cfra.com/chum_audio/Andre_Cornellier_Dec10.mp3
I got these from Frank.
"No, I will not let my members vote."
Hmm... Well then, the strike has to be justified right?
Here's more information about the discussion:
http://www.octranspo.com/mapscheds/Contingency/FAQs_final%20offer_revLR_en.pdf
You can tell obviously that he is just making up shit. It is just so damn obvious, because if he knew what he was saying or believed what he was doing was justified then he'd have given a proper explanationg without hesitation. Remember, in both cases, the union was being completely disobliging - does that sound like they want to resolve this issue quickly?
Child: "HEY! I think this bread is moldy!"
Mother: "Here's some money, you can go to the store to buy a new loaf"
Child: "No, I want more money, and I want to eat at a restaurant for 5 weeks."
How convincing. This strike is 80% about the money. They think if they extend this shit for a long period of time, then the city will definitely succumb to all demands. Contrarily, I think, when this shit drags on for too long, people will find their own way of surviving in the city. There's a reason we humans, as a species, are still living and existing in this world. Survival of the fittest.
I also love the fact how the picketers are blocking off the university shuttles... even though exams are going on right now. This act pretty much sums up how low these workers will stoop.
Thanks a lot OCT, it's not like I don't have enough things to juggle in my hands. Now you've taken away my independence as well, and made me miss an ortho appointment. What used to be a 20 minute trip for 2 dollars has now been extended to over an hour for 10 dollars of gas, at the same time, parents' are losing work hours, because they have to pick me up.
You've really done it this time you selfish bastards. You chose the worst time purposefully to inconvenience an entire city, causing loss from damages, increased car accidents, and probably patients in emergency situations to not reach the hospital in time. I hope that extra few buck in your pants can buy back your conscience. Go ahead and picket. We have long lost sympathy for you and your kind just because you pulled this dick move. You want respect? Stop this damn strike. I just hope somebody in a position of power will act soon, and send these sloths to their work without any changes to their contracts whatsoever.
"Do you want negotiations? Suck my dick and then we'll talk. "
-=n0n4m3=-
(Btw, I do not agree with privatizing the transit system - there's something sinful to the concept of privatizing a public service)
