The ATU Pickets the Riders
I have time only for a short post today. The biggest news is clearly the picket lines set up by the union this morning, which have caused significant delays for riders—up to an hour or more, according to the Region. I haven’t seen any details reported yet in the media but I’m sure they’ll become available.
I’m disgusted by the thought that the union feels riders haven’t suffered enough from the strike and are now attempting to make even the 40% of the system still running unusable. What they are really doing is giving us a taste of the fully-public transit model they are championing, in which there will be no division of the network among contractors and a strike will bring the entire system to a halt. If the picketing today was meant to promote the union’s anti-privatization agenda (as I speculated on Monday we might see), I think its leaders have miscalculated. I can’t fathom who could gain sympathy for the drivers after having been forced by them to spend an extra hour standing on a crowded 99 bus.
Hi, Simon. I’m disappointed to hear of this union tactic; picketing and delaying riders’ commutes certainly won’t win the union and the transit workers any public sympathy.
I took one of the unaffected bus routes to work this morning (or, rather, I took it partway to work and walked the rest of the way)–and thankfully, I didn’t experience any delays myself.
Hey Simon
Yeah, I think today was not a good tactic on their part.
HIlariously enough (is that the right word choice?), after carpooling with 3 other coworkers the last few weeks from York Mills Station to Thornhill, I couldn’t make my ride, and opted instead to take the 91A and the 3 to work today. I sure know how to pick’em.
It wasn’t terrible, but it was an extra 30 minutes of waiting. I got into work at around 10am, instead of 8:20 like I usually do with the carpool.
While I’m generally supportive of unions, it doesn’t make sense to hinder the remaining rides; If there were people who are on the fence about it, I feel they just gave them a great big shove off it to the other side.
Tacticly, if they want to garner support for their cause (be it wage increases or reverting to public run tranportation) they need to highlight the positives of their union – good wages, happy workers, safe & clean equipment, promptness ..ect ect – and NOT “I will push you around!” mentalisty, which is offputting to many.
I think the strongest point they can make to gain public support is the idea that YRT *could* be made a healthy work environment, provided it were unionized;
A flub like this is not going to do them any favours in the long run.
Tracy and Alyssa,
Thank you both for commenting. It looks like we all agree about the morning’s events. I’m glad you managed to avoid the delays, Tracy, but sorry to hear you didn’t, Alyssa!
I particularly agree with you, Alyssa, that the union would be better off promoting the positive aspects of their work. This applies to their pushing for a purely-public transit model as well: So far their arguments for it all revolve around drivers being paid more, which is hardly a plus for the taxpayers. Why don’t they try to demonstrate how it will save us money, or allow better service, or both? It would be such an easier sell.
Hope things go smoothly for you both tomorrow morning.