Arbitrators Tend To Rule In Favor Of Employees

That is the rationale being used by Comrade Miller's lackeys for opposing making TTC and essential service. While the original statement might be true it doesn't hold water when you consider the relationship between city unions and Comrade Miller always seems to favor the unions.

TTC's union 'cop out'

Staff urge politicians to endorse position that transit is not essential, should be allowed to strike

By SUE-ANN LEVY

Coun. Cesar Palacio had hoped months ago -- following this past April's "surprise" weekend transit strike -- that council would seriously consider declaring the TTC an essential service.

He felt so strongly about the chaos and disruption caused by a transit strike, he formed a Citizens Advisory Group of TTC commuters, along with Coun. Cliff Jenkins, that "worked very hard" over the summer drafting a 14-page report in favour of taking away the right to strike from the TTC's 9,000 unionized employees.

Even Mayor David Miller declared in the aftermath of April's strike that he was prepared to consider the idea. He asked city manager Shirley Hoy for a full report on it by next month.

But as I've learned, our mayor blows a lot of air when the mood strikes him. His musings (or shall I say threats) back in April, I suspect, were more out of anger that his powerful TTC union buddies dared to catch him off-guard with an out-of-the-blue strike.

I'm betting His Blondness has no more intention of asking the province to declare the TTC an essential service than he has of dedicating the $238-million in infrastructure funding announced by the province yesterday to road repairs.

A lame report to the TTC's meeting tomorrow from the blue suits recommends -- no surprises here -- the TTC "not" be declared an essential service and suggests the idea be killed at that meeting.

And next Tuesday's executive committee meeting has no sign of the promised report from the city manager on its agenda, I was told yesterday.

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