Day 38 – Is this gesture too premature? Is it really over?
Everyone was in a good mood this morning at our circle of strike… which has now dwindled to a “standing-around-chatting-not-wearing-sign” of strike. We were anxious about the big vote this afternoon, we all wanted this strike behind us, pretty much ready to accept anything the union has to offer their membership. There were laughs, there were dances, there were Lotto 6/49 dreams as we bought another set of tickets for the draw tonight… and then, CRASH-BOOM, this happened:
All was well though, we just moved our group from the sidewalk to under the large covered area by the front door and mingled more with the non-union group that was there monitoring. I have to admit that we’ve had some extremely nice guys and gals with us in the last week.
It didn’t take long for this to happen:
I won the first game of Dominoes… ahaha… suckers.
And then, CRASH-BOOM, this lady came in around 10:20, just a few minutes before we’d leave to go voting, and told us that there was a big problem: the other union, Local 416, was back at the bargaining table!!! (insert horror music here). All faces dropped, silence was all around, no one really wanted to be the first one to speculate out loud about it… A couple of phone calls later, we got word that our local was still ready for the vote and that we were all expected at the Sheraton Centre to cast our ballots.
Voting was a curious process. It was like when they showed on the news the day Mandarin Buffet offered free meals to celebrate the business’ anniversary and the line-up went up the parking lot, then up street into the neighbouring town. There was a lot of people but they were very well organized and we were moving fairly fast. The media kept trying to interview union members, most refusing, and were live on the air running amock with all the details of the new offer, WHICH is a bit different than what was reported in the last few days… but not by much.
As for Local 416, I really don’t have much details about what has happened this morning though, all I know is that their vote has been delayed. I believe that if they do not vote today, our Local will continue to support the picket line until both separate Locals have voted. So, I may just be wearing another sign tomorrow morning, for another $40.
If that’s the case, no more Dominoes or Backgammon for me, I’m bringing the TV and the Wii.
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Wiiiiiii!
I was there for the first session, at 10am, and I was surprised at the anger against (and for) the union leaders – we should stay out and support 416, we should get back to work now, will there be reprisals against picketers from the city?, against scabs from the union?, people shouting over each other, and even calls of ‘shame!’ and ‘scab!’ from the audience. It was surreal at times. But it looks like working Thursday or Friday is out of the question, regardless of the outcome of our vote. Still no word on how 416′s talks are going, or both unions’ talks on back-to-work protocols.
And we thought this was all over….
One of the reasons CUPE 416 has not settled is that they are going to the wall to protect criminals in their ranks. This is more than blocking cars– I am talking threats, intimidation, destruction of property–truly thuggish behavior.
I am not saying that those accused should not have due process and CUPE members certainly should be protected from witch hunts. BUT those, and I am speaking from first hand experience here, who have been involved in what I referenced above should be thrown out of the Union and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
CUPE should do *nothing* to encourage this type of behavior and should actively discourage it.
I am so mad I could spit nails. Watching these goons was the single most disappointing experience I had during the entire strike.
Anyways you will be back soon– Tuesday at the latest–hopefully sooner. The deal seems like a fairly decent compromise. Hang in.
Hi Maizey,
I agree with you. I picketed every day and I refused to take part in any of that, or even the basic interference at City Hall. I witnessed plenty of ugliness but it never made sense to me and it’s not in my character to act like that.
Watching the vicious shouts from union members at the meeting today, who wanted the union to protect those people from reprisals/injunctions/repercussions/responsibility, really shocked me, especially juxtaposed against their angry calls for reprisals against ‘scabs’, which I’m not in favour of.
Ann Dembinski said the city would only protect union members from reprisals if the union did not impose reprisals (that was the word used) or whatever on scabs. Like you said, this is part of the back-to-work protocol talks and was unacceptable for some people who want to have it both ways, and are unwilling to compromise (a loud minority, from what I could tell).
If nothing else, it’ll make for an interesting, but tense, work environment next week.
(Hopefully next week…)
Although we all agree that bullies on the picket lines were the most uncool, let’s not forget that one key issue for Local 416 is that they wish not to have any contractors hired for the clean up. These guys also deserve to make some overtime after not working for 6 weeks.
See that’s the thing SB, I don’t know about the OT issue. Why should there be a reward of working OT for going on strike? And it is a reward, 1.5times the pay for the same work. It’s hard to say one way or the other.
Well, it’s either paying these guys overtime OR hiring contractors, no matter what happens, the city will have to pay to get this done quickly. I’m just glad I won’t have to do any of it.
It’s all perspective: union workers call it “a chance to catch up on their Visa/Mortgage”, the average Torontoian (who loudly shout “fire them all!!”) sees it as a “reward”
I hardly call picking up a maggoty bag of soggy garbage a “reward”, even at 1.5x wage.