|
TTC going on strike at midnight . (pg. 2)
|
View this Thread in Original format
| kotsy |
| quote: | Originally posted by UmmiE
Yet there are soo many other people who only work weekends or have only summer jobs let alone people on their days off might wana go out and chill in the nice weather. |
Their numbers on Saturday surely must be still lower than Mon-Fri. Sunday definitely is as their subway service doesn't even start till 9am. |
|
|
| hardcore trancer |
| I blame the democracy for all this bull :p |
|
|
| electro88 |
| lol toronto pwn3d by ttc, gg son, I hope this doesn't go on until Monday or I wont be able to get to work :eyes: |
|
|
| MikeyN |
| quote: | Originally posted by DigiNut
That's because you're a bunch of overpaid sacks of horse , you ing worthless overpaid sacks of horse . The drivers are the only ones actually adding value to the system.
I swear to god, if my taxes go up even one cent to support those s, I'm heading over to Finch station to personally piss on each and every one of them.
Too bad Miller is too much of a to just legislate them back to work. |
You're attitude is awesome ! Honestly. Can we be best friends? :stongue: |
|
|
| Kamka |
This is so annoying :mad: :mad: :mad: - my grandfather is here in Canada for his last weekend and I wanted to go out with him tomorrow, to take him to the Toronto ZOO and then on Sunday to go to the Hungarian church (somewhere near downtown) with him for one last time, and after the mass I planned to visit the CN Tower together (we've been there in the fall already, but that time we got there late, so by then it was already dark outside and we've wanted to go in the daytime too). I can't go on weekdays because I must work and I don't think that my workplace would be very conducive to me asking to have a day off when we are so extremely busy (not to mention that since no one else is doing my job, it would just come back to haunt me the next day in an enormous amount of unprocessed volume). And on top of that, if the TTC called out a strike during the weekdays, at least I'd have a good excuse to work from home... I realize that it's a very selfish thing to say, but if they absolutely must strike, then for me it would actually be better if they did so during the week (at least for this particular weekend).
On another note, the fact that they are using strike tactics to get higher wages makes me think - not everyone is guaranteed an increase in wages every few years - I as a contract worker get exactly the same wage now as I did over a year ago in another contract job, where the responsibilities were much lighter. My colleague, who is a full-time direct company employee (not a contractor) told me that his salary hasn't gone up (and he's worked there a few years). Many people's paycheques do not automatically go up every couple of years, and if the TTC workers insist on getting an annual raise, it will reflect in highter fare prices which will cut into other people's budgets, making this essential service more expensive for them. So, in my mind, they are essentially forcing and ensuring higher paycheques for them at the cost of others (who might have just as difficult and demanding jobs). Why? I am not trying to understate the difficulties and risks associated with certain TTC positions (such as bus and streetcar drivers), but why not take into account the needs of the public (for whom your service is designed) in addition to just the needs of your employees? |
|
|
| MikeyN |
| edit: oh ffs nevermind. |
|
|
| dEsidEL |
Facts:
- I got home literally by a thread heading Northbound on Eglinton. A lot of people were stranded at the station as southbound trains stopped running on the Yonge line at approx. 11:52 PM. Public reaction wasn't good.
- Miller has requested the premiere to legislate the workers which McGuinty has agreed. However this won't happen until as early as Monday.
- Ministry of Labour has ordered both sides back to the bargaining table at 1 PM tomorrow which means there will likely be no service at least until then.
- A lot of royally pissed off people.
|
|
|
| kotsy |
| quote: | Originally posted by dEsidEL
- I got home literally by a thread heading Northbound on Eglinton.
|
:toothless |
|
|
| The Ear |
It is time, oh my brothers.
Time to take a stand against the swine who supposedly work for the public. Yet now, they have taken a stand against us. The majority.
So now it is time to march, oh my brothers. March upon each and every last one of the swine. Time to release each and every last one of them from their horrible lives as overpaid, over-compensated button and pedal pushers and once and for all dismantle this "union".
There is but one way to do this. Fire each and every one. For then and only then can we begin to ascertain and determine who among them actually care for their jobs that "support the public" via transportation provision by hiring each one back on an individual basis with contract in hand. But before that, they must be made subjects of vociferous ridicule with unabated vitriol.
So if you know a TTC worker, deride them (family or not). If you see one, assail them with verbal barbs so venomous that they feel fear for their financial well-being in the pits of their hog stomachs. Similar to that which is being felt right now by each and every member of the fare paying and tax paying majority who need to get to work, doctors, and shelter to live.
Toronto has returned to the hands of swine tonight and regained its moniker of "Hogtown". For the swine are clearly in charge now & the time has come to reclaim that which we pay for.
I am not stating that violence is the answer, or that it's acceptable. Do what you wish. But make your voices heard loud and clear that THIS WILL NOT STAND.
To the swine of the TTC I have but one phrase for you:
VIDDY WELL LITTLE BROTHER.
VIDDY WELL.
Enough is enough. The time has come.
No longer shall we be held hostage to the overpaid.
Break the union hard and fast. |
|
|
| Mortyman |
YES!!! No work tomorrow!!! :haha:
I can actually enjoy my Saturday now!! :D |
|
|
| kotsy |
| quote: | Originally posted at http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/418711
TTC strikes as deal falls apart
TONY BOCK/TORONTO STAR
Torontonians are waking up today to find themselves hijacked by a transit strike.
Subways, streetcars and buses were being taken out of service late Friday night after the TTC workers union overwhelmingly rejected a tentative contract settlement reached last Sunday.
Unionized transit workers were notified by electronic voice mail late Friday evening that they were not to report for their shifts effective at midnight.
The message warned that the public would be upset because it was not receiving 48 hours notice of a strike but that the last vote had not been cast until 10 p.m.
Despite the short notice of a strike, it should be over by Monday morning. The Liberal government is scrambling to have the back-to-work legislation introduced tomorrow with a rare Sunday sitting in the Legislature, sources told the Star early this morning.
Government House Leader Michael Bryant has been advising Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats that an order in council will be passed today, clearing the way for tomorrow's session.
A draft of the bill should be available today to give MPPs in all three parties time to vet it.
The Sunday passage of the law would guarantee that Monday morning commuters will not be inconvenienced.
The rejected deal, which gave the 9,000 drivers, maintenance workers and mechanics a 3 per cent increase for each year of a three-year contract, only narrowly averted a strike Monday morning.
But it was no sooner ratified by elected transit commissioners on Wednesday, when cracks began to emerge in the union's support for the contract.
That's when some mechanics and maintenance workers complained about vague language around job security and contracting out. There were other reports that some workers were dissatisfied that only drivers were covered by a new GTA clause that ensured they would be the highest paid operators in the Toronto region.
"This is incredibly unbelievable. There was a fair offer that was recommended by the union," said TTC chair Adam Giambrone, who echoed the mayor in calling the strike unacceptable on an hour's notice.
Some sources tonight told the Star that union president Bob Kinnear's leadership was in crisis.
The union has been in a legal strike position since April 1 but had promised 48 hours notice of a service withdrawal. |
|
|
|
| kotsy |
| quote: | Originally posted @ http://www.thestar.com/article/404942
Strike survival guide
Apr 18, 2008 04:30 AM
If TTC workers walk off the job, traffic in the city will be heavier than ever. Here’s what you need to know to get where you need to go:
How to carpool
Services like SmartCommute hook up drivers with people who need rides, but they are generally not for one-time users, so you’ll need to register well before the day you need a ride. If you’re carpooling, or just giving your neighbours a lift downtown, you can take advantage of the High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) lanes on Highways 403 and 404. These lanes are reserved for vehicles carrying at least two people, including cars, buses, trucks shorter than 6.5 metres, minivans, motorcycles, taxis and limousines.
The Ministry of Transportation also offers free carpool parking at designated highway interchanges.
In the city, carpoolers can use the bus lanes on Eglinton Ave., Bay St., Fleet St., King St. and Pape Ave. throughout the strike. Parking lots at 14 designated city community centres and arenas are available free of charge for carpooling.
And at services like Zipcar and Autoshare, members can reserve wheels when they need them online and pay by the hour.
Where to park ...
Toronto Parking Authority operates 160 lots with 20,000 spaces. There are also 17,500 on-street parking spaces throughout the city.
Construction in downtown Toronto has gobbled up heaps of private parking lots but there are still plenty around. Impark Toronto operates lots across the GTA, and the Parking Hunter website is also a good resource.
...and where not to park
At the start of a strike, the city immediately adopts emergency traffic measures that remain in effect throughout the disruption. One of them is to ban all parking on the following streets on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.:
* Avenue Rd./University Ave. between Lawrence Ave. and Front St.
* Bloor St./Danforth Ave. between Jane St. and Victoria Park Ave.
* Yonge St. between Front St. and Steeles Ave.
* Eglinton Ave. between Allen Rd. and Brentcliffe Rd.
* Bayview Ave. from Eglinton Ave. to Lawrence Ave.
* Finch Ave. from Highway 400 to Jane St.
* McCowan Rd. from Eglinton Ave. to Ellesmere Rd.
* Lawrence Ave. from Markham Rd. to Brimley Rd.
* The Queensway from Roncesvalles Ave. to Parkside Dr.
Get there by bike
How to ride: If public transit grinds to a halt, more cyclists than ever will be sharing the roads with cars and jockeying for space in crowded bike lanes, said Smokey Dymny, co-manager of the Community Bicycle Network. First time riders should “be very aware of other cyclists because they don’t away exhibit the best techniques,” Dymny warned, noting that Toronto cyclists are notorious for running red lights and stop signs. He advises wearing a helmet, and making sure bikes are tuned up and have properly inflated tires.
What to ride: For those that don’t have wheels, the CBN has a fleet of about 100 yellow bikes available for rent at $10 a day, that are left over from the now-defunct Bike Share program. Reconditioned bikes are for sale from $75 and up. Call 416-534-2066 or check the CBN website. The Toronto Bicycling Network, Canada’s largest cycling club, also has a list of retailers in and around the Greater Toronto Area, some of which rent bikes.
Where to ride: There are 35 kilometres of curbside bike lanes throughout the city on major roads. Each is marked with symbols on the pavement and lanes are between 1.5 and 2 metres wide. Peter Noehammer, director of Toronto’s transportation services, said snow plows have cleared roads and bike lanes so they should be safe for riding. There are also signed bike routes, mainly on residential streets. However, the city’s 121 kilometres of off-road bike paths, many in parks and ravines aren’t maintained in the winter, and may still be covered with patches of snow and ice, making them treacherous, Noehammer warned.
Using GO Transit
If there is a TTC strike, GO Transit won’t be able to add more trains or buses because the service is already stretched to capacity. Spokesperson Stephanie Sorensen says there could be delays, especially at Union Station. She advised riders “to get to their station early to find parking and buy tickets,” in an email message. “If possible, people should take local transit, walk, get a ride or carpool to the station. Customers should also buy multi-ride tickets in advance to avoid ticketing lineups.”
Getting a taxi
The city’s largest cab company will put its 1,500 cars and 3,000 drivers into “emergency” mode, says Beck Taxi office manager Kristine Hubbard, but a TTC strike will be “a double whammy” for service: while calls will probably jump two-fold, more people will be flagging down cabs, meaning that response time from dispatch may drop in half. “We are advising people to be patient. We could be there in five minutes or an hour,” Hubbard said. Pre-booking cabs is not an option either, she said, because demand will be too high.
Beck Taxi, 416-751-5555
Diamond Taxi, 416-366-6868
Royal Taxi,416-777-9222
Co-op Taxi, 416-504-2667
Crown Taxi, 416-240-0000
Going to the airport
By coach: Toronto Airport Express has no plans to add buses during a TTC strike. “I don’t think a TTC strike will affect our service,” said Pacific Western’s Airport Express duty manager Farzin Lachini. Coaches carrying 47 passengers will continue to travel between the airport and several downtown hotels every 30 minutes in the morning and every 20 minutes in the afternoon for $29.95 round trip.
By limousine: Aerofleet Services, which runs 120 limousines in the GTA, says it has no contingency plans in place should there be a TTC walkout. Although the service is designed to carry passengers to and from the airport, it would take people from home to office - although for higher fares than a regular cab. Limos are also restricted to four passengers because of seatbelt legislation. Pre-booking is available, but priority would be given to airport runs and longer runs. Some limousine licences restrict where they can pick up and drop off passengers, so some cars may not be available for some jurisdictions.
GO Transit: Buses run from the York Mills and Yorkdale subway stations to Terminal 1 every 60 minutes from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays.
From hotels: Downtown hotels that offer private shuttles to and from the airport are expected to continue during a TTC strike, but it’s worth checking ahead to confirm.
Highway driving
Ontario Provincial Police are predicting heavier than usual highway congestion during rush hours, and advise motorists to talk to their employers about alternate work arrangements, such as working from home.
If you have to venture onto the highway, “Pack your patience, ” said Sgt. Cam Woolley, noting that “our highway system is already pretty fragile” even without the added pressure of a TTC strike. About 500,000 vehicles travel Highway 401 daily, making it the busiest expressway in North America. However, more congestion doesn’t always mean more collisions.
Another positive factor is “that we’re not fully into the construction swing right now.” Woolley suspects the major “choke points” will include the intersection of Highways 400 and 401.
Getting an ambulance
The effects of a TTC strike on 911 calls for ambulances should be minimal. “Traffic will be an issue but, by and large, people get out of the way,” according to EMS spokesperson Peter Macintyre. “We’ve had TTC strikes in the past and we’ve managed.” EMS is not planning any service adjustments in the event of the strike. Rush hour calls will be the most taxing, but “rush hours are bad all the time,” he said, adding that most ambulance calls are not for life-threatening situations.
Service for the disabled
Most of the TTC’s 49,342 registered Wheel Trans users will be sidelined but a few of the 297 vehicles in the fleet will be on the road, spokesperson Danny Nicholson confirmed. The skeleton crew will provide limited service to hospitals for subscribers who receive dialysis and other necessary medical treatments. Many taxi companies and private firms offer accessible transit in and around Toronto. An advance booking of at least 24 hours is recommended in most cases:
Beck Taxi Ltd: 416-300-4360
Crown Taxi: 416- 750-7878 (24-hour notice)
Celebrity Wheelchair Accessible Taxi (a.k.a. Dignity Transportation): 416-398-2222
Phiacs: 416-663-5544
Royal Taxi: 416-777-9222
Rapid City Transportation: 416-266-1500 or 1-888-202-3923
Toronto Para Transit: 416-209-0950
Wheelchair Accessible Transit: 416-884-9898
- Curtis Rush and Leslie Ferenc |
|
|
|
|
|
