there are many reasons why she would make a great mayor as opposed to the dumbass we have now. This is just the latest...

Time to dismantle the unions that are doing nothing but driving up costs and promoting bad service. Finally a politician that isnt afraid to go against the status quo.

quote:

Mayoral Candidate Wants To Lessen Unions' Power Monday June 12, 2006 It was supposed to be a meeting of politicians at City Hall to look into how to handle the T.T.C. now that its general manager is gone. Rick Ducharme resigned last week alleging political interference drove him from office. It came following a wildcat strike two weeks ago that shut down the system for a full day. Now Councillor Jane Pitfield, a candidate for Mayor, has stunned some of her colleagues by suggesting it's the T.T.C. union that's causing the problem - and it's just one of the many bargaining collectives Toronto deals with that should have their power plug pulled. "Perhaps it's time to start phasing out some of our unions," she opines. "Make them less strong, have less political interference with them . It's politically charged, and unfortunately with David Miller, it's a carte blanche. Whatever they ask for, they're receiving." Miller was away Monday, but his staff was caught off guard by the sudden policy suggestion. And they were quick to remind the unions not everyone in the halls of power shares that view. "Certainly that is nothing that we talked about," avers Councillor Karen Stintz. "That is not the issue. The unions are not the issue." Councillor Howard Moscoe, who took the brunt of the criticism from Ducharme, believes his foe has just dug her own political grave. "I think Councillor Pitfield just self-destructed her campaign." But Pitfield is undeterred. "I don't know how to do it," she explains. "I'm saying that perhaps the time has come to look at that." How do voters feel about her shocking statements? If they're union members, the answers are obvious. "Why would I, as a person living in Toronto, vote for someone who not only says something that doesn't make any sense, but doesn't have an answer for it?," asks Pauline Niles of C.U.P.E. Local 1. And even if Pitfield gets her way, it won't be easy - the city has about 55,000 unionized employees and weakening their bargaining power is a task that may be beyond her ability to arrange. And that's only If voters agree with her stance. The answer will come this November, when the municipal election takes place. So far Pitfield and Miller are the only real frontrunners.

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill

I'm really surprised to see that you are anti-union.

quote:

Originally posted by TO guy I'm really surprised to see that you are anti-union.

unions have served their purpose. They are now nothing more than a bloated bureaucracy with its own political baggage. And when a union monopolizes employees on what is already a monopoly (government services) its an even more compounded problem.

Bus drivers striking when they make $24-30 an hour plus benefits for what is considered unskilled labour is just one example of how unions cost taxpayers a lot of money. Also, the service on the TTC isnt exactly the best either. All those employees are pratically there for life whether they suck or not.

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill

quote:

Originally posted by Jayx1 unions have served their purpose. They are now nothing more than a bloated bureaucracy with its own political baggage. And when a union monopolizes employees on what is already a monopoly (government services) its an even more compounded problem. Bus drivers striking when they make $24-30 an hour plus benefits for what is considered unskilled labour is just one example of how unions cost taxpayers a lot of money. Also, the service on the TTC isnt exactly the best either. All those employees are pratically there for life whether they suck or not.

While in princple I agree with you, these unions are fairly useless and do nothing for the benefit of the populace, save for those within the union, I don't know how comfortable I feel about a candidate that can so directly attack an institution set up to protect the working class.
But then again, I work my ass off, and my job will for sure never be unionized, so I guess there goes my point...

quote:

Originally posted by zokissima While in princple I agree with you, these unions are fairly useless and do nothing for the benefit of the populace, save for those within the union, I don't know how comfortable I feel about a candidate that can so directly attack an institution set up to protect the working class. But then again, I work my ass off, and my job will for sure never be unionized, so I guess there goes my point...

Well she feels the same way you do

quote:

While in princple I agree with you, these unions are fairly useless and do nothing for the benefit of the populace, save for those within the union,

and thats why she wants to abolish it. It serves no one anymore so why have it?

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill

how much do you get paid for these political service announcements jayx1?

I wish we had a stronger candidate to take on Mayor Miller. I don't think Pitfield has the name recognition to pull this off.

Even though I am a Tory...I would get behind a bid by Liberal Dennis Mills.

He was an amazing MP of the people, has a great business background (family business is "Chairman Mills" - party rentals) and has strong name recognition in TO.

If you read this thread Mr. Mills...I will buy you a hat to throw into the ring!

Eff Pitfield. She ruined Thorncliffe.

Who cares about the union...

Designate the TTC an "essential service" (because it is!) and thus bar them from being able to strike.

The Amalgamated Trasit Union is one of the largest (if not the largest)union in North America. Without passing judgement on whether or not the TTC's union is a hinderance to quality cost effective service she should look for more creative ways to improve our TTC. Such as yes, private funding.

The union will never go down without a huge fight. And in the end its the people of this city that would suffer. I don't want a mayor who looks at situations like this so unpractically (as right ideologically as she may be).

Unions have become too big, too corrupt, and employees don't even have the option to work for a Unionized company and opt out of the actual Union.

My mom's in a Union, she's often frustrated by the fact that she isn't allowed to do more work when she's done the piddly ammount of work they DO give her (Hydro One BTW). From my discussions with other Union workers, my mom's not alone in her feelings.

What all this tells me is that Unions result in higher costs and lower productivity for a company. In the case of Government-funded, Unionized work-places, this means that our tax-dollars are being wasted. How can we expect a cash-bonus for the TTC to do anything when the Union pushes for a raise instead of putting the money where it's needed?

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Captain Planet is gey.
Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Heart???
These forces are supposed to combine to create Captain Planet?
Bullshit.
Those forces combine to create a soaking, boiling mudstorm on Valentine's Day.

quote:

Originally posted by fairy godfather I wish we had a stronger candidate to take on Mayor Miller. I don't think Pitfield has the name recognition to pull this off. Even though I am a Tory...I would get behind a bid by Liberal Dennis Mills. He was an amazing MP of the people, has a great business background (family business is "Chairman Mills" - party rentals) and has strong name recognition in TO. If you read this thread Mr. Mills...I will buy you a hat to throw into the ring!

so just because he has name recognition thats the reason to vote for him?

Thats a pretty bad reason!

Vote for substance, not fame.

BTW miller associates himself as an NDPer not a Liberal.

Revisit some of the bonehead moves that miller has made and then tell me why hes fit to be re-elected.

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quote:

Originally posted by jester Everything in this country is illegal.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery…" Winston Churchill

‎"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law" - Winston Churchill