ATU Ottawa Striking Bus Drivers , city battle to get their message out
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081211/OTT_Opinion_081211/20081211/?hub=OttawaHome
Transit union, city battle to get their message out
Updated: Sat Dec. 13 2008 13:44:48
ctvottawa.ca
As motorists battle traffic gridlock in the capital, the transit union and the city are waging a war for public support.
"To me, the union leader needs to be changed. That is definitely not a professional guy. My 12-year-old daughter can answer better questions," said car salesman Stefan Polacek.
Others think the strike is designed to hurt the public: "I feel sorry for the bus drivers and I don't like the unions manipulating everybody because it's not worth it. Nobody wins in a strike," said commuter Dana Clark.
Public sentiment means Amalgamated Transit Union President André Cornellier has a hard pitch to sell in a public relations battle that's impacting commuters and hurting an already crumbling economy.
"Inconveniencing people, what's wrong with that?" Cornellier told CTV Ottawa on Wednesday.
Watch interviews from both sides of the dispute
While some might perceive his comments unnecessary, those who know Cornellier say he's just passionate about what he believes in.
"André's an incredibly passionate individual and sometimes when he makes comments, it's picked up the wrong way," said Sean McKenny of the Ottawa Labour Council.
Picketers, however, are concerned their message isn't getting out.
"Everybody's saying the same -- we make $100,000 a year, nobody makes $100,000 a year. A few guys do, but they're working their derries to make that kind of money," said bus operator Bruce Roach.
The union is no longer speaking to the media and is now taking a different approach to getting its message to the public.
"We were told if the media wants to talk, to talk to André Cornellier because there's too many stories going out. And the problem is the media is putting out whatever they feel they want to put out and the problem is the wrong message is being put across," said one striking transit worker.
CTV Ottawa was told the union is now planning to buy newspaper ads to tell their side of the story.
Members of the public, though, just want the issue resolved,
"We're in a miserable world right now. Let's work together and get out of this mess," said Polacek.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=1052073
Public Transit in Ottawa: Students in solidarity with ATU strikers
http://www.transitottawa.ca/2008/12/students-in-solidarity-with-atu.html
Transit union, city battle to get their message out
Updated: Sat Dec. 13 2008 13:44:48
ctvottawa.ca
As motorists battle traffic gridlock in the capital, the transit union and the city are waging a war for public support.
"To me, the union leader needs to be changed. That is definitely not a professional guy. My 12-year-old daughter can answer better questions," said car salesman Stefan Polacek.
Others think the strike is designed to hurt the public: "I feel sorry for the bus drivers and I don't like the unions manipulating everybody because it's not worth it. Nobody wins in a strike," said commuter Dana Clark.
Public sentiment means Amalgamated Transit Union President André Cornellier has a hard pitch to sell in a public relations battle that's impacting commuters and hurting an already crumbling economy.
"Inconveniencing people, what's wrong with that?" Cornellier told CTV Ottawa on Wednesday.
Watch interviews from both sides of the dispute
While some might perceive his comments unnecessary, those who know Cornellier say he's just passionate about what he believes in.
"André's an incredibly passionate individual and sometimes when he makes comments, it's picked up the wrong way," said Sean McKenny of the Ottawa Labour Council.
Picketers, however, are concerned their message isn't getting out.
"Everybody's saying the same -- we make $100,000 a year, nobody makes $100,000 a year. A few guys do, but they're working their derries to make that kind of money," said bus operator Bruce Roach.
The union is no longer speaking to the media and is now taking a different approach to getting its message to the public.
"We were told if the media wants to talk, to talk to André Cornellier because there's too many stories going out. And the problem is the media is putting out whatever they feel they want to put out and the problem is the wrong message is being put across," said one striking transit worker.
CTV Ottawa was told the union is now planning to buy newspaper ads to tell their side of the story.
Members of the public, though, just want the issue resolved,
"We're in a miserable world right now. Let's work together and get out of this mess," said Polacek.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Joanne Schnurr
Ottawa transit talks break off, strike looms
Bruce Ward, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, December 09, 2008
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Ottawa commuters stranded by transit strike
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The Ottawa CitizenOC Transpo drivers are poised to strike at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday after contract talks with the city broke off Monday.
OTTAWA -- Ottawa's largest transit union has rejected the city's final contract settlement offer, and with a strike set to start at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning, city officials say they have no intention of making another offer.
At a late afternoon press conference Monday, city transit manager Alain Mercier said top officials with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 279 had rejected a three-year offer with wage increases of three, two and two per cent over three years.
He also said union officials told the city they wouldn't bring the offer to their members and would instead brace for a strike where the impact would be first felt during the Wednesday morning commute.
Mayor Larry O'Brien said city government was "perplexed," and that the city wanted to make sure each union member understands what the offer is because he said he feels it is "very reasonable" considering the grim state of the economy.
A letter outlining the final offer was being distributed to union members Monday.
Mr. O'Brien took part in a two-hour closed meeting on Monday with councillors to talk about the transit situation, during which tempers flared. Some councillors have said they feel confident of public support for their position but are concerned about the long-term effects of a lengthy transit strike.
ATU Local 279 President André Cornellier said the 2,300 drivers, mechanics and dispatchers will not accept wage increases and benefits such as sick leave that lag behind those of other city employees.
"It's about respect and dignity," said Mr. Cornellier. "Enough is enough is what they (ATU members) are saying."
Mr. Cornellier said there won't be another vote before a Wednesday strike because the executive of the union is satisfied that the latest offer is not sufficiently different than the last offer that was voted down by 98% of the membership. The city improved the wage offer by one-quarter of a per cent, according to the union.
Mr. Cornellier said that issues such as the scheduling of drivers, improved sick leave and contracting out of maintenance must be resolved before there's an agreement.
Mr. Mercier said the city has made its final offer and municipal officials are willing to meet if the union reconsiders its position, but that no talks are scheduled.
Mr. O'Brien said the offer will only be on the table until midnight tomorrow, and "we hope they reconsider their position."
Both sides are making preparations for a transit strike. The city will permit bus lanes to be used by regular traffic in the event of a strike and allow park-and-ride lots to be used for car pooling.
The ATU is establishing a radio communications system and identifying picket locations at City of Ottawa properties across the city.
Mr. Cornellier said no one wants a strike.
"Our members are out there and they have mortgages and payments just like everybody else. They use public transit too," he said. "It isn't an easy thing to do. But sometimes you have to stand up and say respect is worth more than money."
In the event of a strike, city officials expect a 20% increase in car traffic. They also expect the city will save about $3 million a week.
Commuters face an additional headache. Public Works Canada said yesterday in a release that the Chaudière Bridge over the Ottawa River will remain closed. "We continue to assess the situation and will provide updates on a daily basis," the release said.
The 170-year-old bridge was closed last Wednesday night as a safety precaution because of deterioration in the masonry arches causing major traffic congestion in downtown Ottawa and Gatineau, as well as on the Ottawa River Parkway.
The city is offering bus-strike advice and suggestions in newspaper ads and on the City of Ottawa website. Among the tips: travel outside rush hours or carpool. Those seeking rides or willing to form carpools were asked to follow the links at ottawa.ca, octranspo.com or ottawaridematch.com.
If a strike occurs, some parking regulations will be eased and bus-only lanes will be opened to regular traffic. The bus lanes on Albert and Slater Streets, Mackenzie King Bridge, Montreal Road, Rideau Street (east of King Edward) and Woodroffe Avenue will be open to public use at all times.
Last week, some 98% of the union voted to give their leadership a strike mandate.
Outstanding contract issues include sick leave, outsourcing language, operator booking and scheduling and wages.
The last Ottawa transit strike was in 1996. It began in late November and lasted 24 days. Buses were back on the road on Dec. 19 that year. The strike ended when both sides agreed to an arbitrator's proposal that allowed OC Transpo to roll back benefits worth about $1.25 million. The city had been seeking cuts of $2 million.
Some costs of that strike were easy to quantify. Each striker lost about $2,500 in wages, and the Ottawa-Carleton Board of Trade estimated that the cost to businesses was about $1 million a day in lower productivity and lost sales during the Christmas season.
Many transit users showed remarkable ingenuity and surprising resiliency in coping with the strike. On the first day of the strike - a Tuesday - the expected commuter chaos did not materialize. Although traffic flow was heavier on the Queensway, people left home earlier or later than usual spreading the rush hour out over a longer time.
Across the region, people could be seen bundled up and walking to work. Others made ad hoc carpool arrangements. Diehard cyclists pedalled to work, their breath pluming in the cold air.
But the strike was hardest on the elderly, those without a car, college students and others who must depend on public transit to get to work, shop at grocery stores, keep medical appointments, make court appearances or socialize with friends.
A transit strike would come at a time when the numbers of transit users is increasing. OC Transpo is expecting to carry 100 million riders this year, up more than six per cent over 2006.
The city also suffered through a bus strike in 1979.
That strike came to be known as "the five-cent bus strike" because a mere nickel-an-hour in wages separated the two sides. Still, the union walked out and the strike lasted 20 days.
As a measure of how times have changed, union members in 1979 rejected pay increases of 16.5% over two years.