City
CUPE accuses City of "union-busting" tactics
Nothing gets the top men at City Hall shaking quite like a disruption to library service, so surely there was some trembling at 100 Queen Street West this morning.
In a press conference with CUPE 416 president Mark Ferguson earlier today, Maureen O'Reilly, head of CUPE local 4948, announced that Toronto library workers have filed for conciliation, saying little progress has been made at the bargaining table with the City of Toronto. She accused the City of "picking a fight with library workers," saying that staff are being "asked to do more and more for less and less."
With a strike or lockout of outdoor workers looming in just over a week, Ferguson said the City's approach to negotiation is basically one of "union-busting."
"Bargaining usually involves two parties coming to the table with changes they want, and then negotiating something both can live with," he said. "I have been at tables through the Lastman and Miller eras — they all worked that way. This is completely different, totally one-sided."
Photo by andyscamera in the blogTO Flickr pool
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The silent (non-unionized) majority agrees.
I am all for using technology to make things more efficient, so I think they should get rid of that clause in the job security agreement. I don't think they should slash pay or benefits though. Cities are better when you have more people with good paying jobs, rather than a ton of people with very low paying jobs and very few people with very high paying jobs.
I estimate this comment will be removed in less then 1 hour.
Rob Ford may be a weakened, damaged Mayor, but he's probably still more popular than CUPE 416. From a PR perspective, the union would be well advised to avoid a lockout.
get it done
I would love to hear the scenario played out, logically, of "What would happen if there was no CUPE?"
:p
Well except, lawyers, bank executives and couple of CEOs. Oh and can't forget the cops!
All the business analysts, financial planners, and other paper pushers won't be needed. Why? Everyone's on minimum wage! Yes every boss or wannabe boss's dream...
Don't fool yourself if into thinking we can no slip back and loose some or all of the good life we have now.
When you have a monopoly service, there are only two ways to pay-out the profit: into every employees' salary or into bonuses and dividends.
The most common strategy is to shut people down with insults, slanderous comments and bully tactics. My way or the highway.
If you choose to live in a bubble go to like wise folks. If you want a discussion by all means I am willing to listen and learn, as long as it is reasoned and uses actual facts not ideology as your sole basis for the argument.