Toronto on strike: Miller faces crucial vote on Friday
Red-faced and sweating, gripping the podium and jabbing his finger, Mayor David Miller lashed out at his opponents at a news conference..* Podcast: Strike's end hinges on crucial council vote
* Toronto on strike: 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,' union boss says on amnesty
By Katie Hewitt
Mark Ferguson’s voice was heard above hundreds as CUPE Local 416 workers cheered, muffling his speech at an information and voting session held at the Ontario Ministry of Labour on Thursday, to which media was not invited.
Mr. Ferguson, Local 416 president, was telling union members exactly what they wanted to hear.
“The City wanted to terminate and prosecute those few who got a little excited on the picket lines. We made sure of amnesty for everybody involved. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!” he said, fist in air, to resounding applause.
Mr. Ferguson’s sin city slogan made reference to the amnesty clause, one stipulation in a controversial back-to-work protocol that held up ratification votes for 416 workers and dragged negotiations on until late Wednesday night.
In exchange for City-sanctioned amnesty, the union made what Mr. Ferguson called “the difficult decision” not to punish what the union calls “scabs” -- unionized workers who crossed picket lines during the strike.
Later in an interview, Mr. Ferguson said the City relented on all of the 118 pages of concessions initially given, including changes in grievance and job posting processes, as well as post-retirement benefits.
Mr. Ferguson is at a loss as to why Mayor David Miller dragged negotiations on so long before conceding. “I have no idea what their strategy was,” he said.
Mr. Ferguson said his strike strategy has earned him “more handshakes than I’ve ever had in my life.”
Traffic moving toward the building’s entrance was at a standstill. Cars were everywhere, even strewn on the lawn— minivans and motorcycles, parked in solidarity.
Outside the ministry building, workers waiting in a two-hour line were eager to talk to reporters, after the union lifted a ban on talking to the media.
Ben DeSousa, a garbage disposal worker who sported a CUPE button and t-shirt, is happy with the deal, but takes issue with public perception of union banked sick days.
“People think it’s a perk. It’s not,” he said, as working with hazardous trash can cause sudden illness, requiring sick leave.
“Only God knows what’s in the garbage,” he said.
Asked for his thoughts, Rick Power, a transfer station operator said “I think the strike is over, whohoo!” and gave a little kick in the air.
Mr. Power also had thoughts for Mayor Miller. “He [Mayor Miller] never told the truth in one interview,” and Mr. Power predicts “Miller’s out” in the next election.
Joe Barta, a city paramedic for 19 years, called the deal between Local 416 and the City “the ultimate definition of compromise,” since “no one got what they wanted, but both sides are satisfied that the other got screwed.”
Mayoral Meltdown
Posted 7/30/2009 6:34:00 PMAfter spending the morning racing to spin the negative newspaper headlines away from the City's crushing loss in the CUPE strike, Mayor Miller held the news conference he was supposed to hold yesterday, outlining the return to work protocol and resumption of services.
And he displayed what Jules in Pulp Fiction would call "furious anger", almost spitting his contempt for councillors who would vote against the deal and keep the kids away from daycare, ferries from the island, garbage from its proper dump....you know, the same services we lost for almost 40 days for nothing.
It was an uncharacteristic, petulant public display from the mayor but I'm told it's not unfamiliar to councillors who've crossed Hizzoner before and were spanked behind closed doors.
It was, frankly, ugly. And undemocratic. And unbelievably hypocritical.
Tomorrow's vote, whether it's held in-camera or publicly, will pass the worst labour deal Toronto could have hoped ...
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