Sharkboy

Day 23 – This garbage bin is out of order…

After arriving at the picket line today, we started chatting about what the television news had shown the night before. This manager who was coming to monitor our line introduced himself and started chatting a bit. He seemed like a nice guy…

Me: So how are you guys holding on?
Manager: In regards to what?
Me: (taken aback) huh… the bombings in Afghanistan… what else, the strike of course…
Manager: What do you mean?
Me: Sorry I asked…
Manager: If you’re asking about our pay increase, we got nothing, we get 0% for the next two years…
Me: I was asking more about how you are holding on with having to monitor the lines, or all the extra work I think you might be asked to do…
Manager: it’s tough, but we manage
Me: And no offence, but as far as salaries are involved, you make more than half of what we make, so regardless of the percentage of raise you receive, you can still afford a very nice lifestyle.
Manager: huh…..
Picketer 1: Yeah, you don’t have a comment for that…

I then returned to texting DR and a few minutes later:

Manager: Why are you guys here at 7am anyway?
Me: (mocking) In regards to what?
Manager: You know no one comes to work before 8am, why do you come so early to picket?
Me: That’s not true, we see a lot of people using their City of Toronto key cards to get in this building even before 7am… this morning more than yesterday…
Manager: Ok, maybe a couple of people come in earlier, but why don’t you guys start doing this at 8am.
Me: Because if that was the case, you’d only have to be here at 8am as well and we like to make you get up early… Why are you asking that? You know we don’t make these decisions, all the picket lines downtown are 7am to 7pm divided in 3 shifts of 4 hours each…

I went back to texting….

Manager: Do you get to decide where you picket or do they tell you where you have to go?
Me: We decide where we want to go to and what shift we prefer as well. Is this your first strike with the City?
Manager: First as a manager
Me: Then, you should remember what it was like when you were on the other side…

And just like that I was done… I really felt like he was trying to get under my skin. Weird vibes…

Later on during the morning, he did ask what department I was with and we had a nicer conversation, and he did admit that like me, he wanted this over with. We talked about how long it would take to be back on track after the strike, etc.

It’s not like we’re gonna be BFF, but it seemed like he removed the burr that got stucked in his underwear and was able to have a much nicer conversation as the morning went by… or maybe the coffee finally kicked in.

Day 22 – My favourite garbage bin in all of Toronto…

I won’t be talking about the strike today. I’m really tired of it all. I’m hopeful a resolution is just around the corner and that we’ve finally entered the final sprint. But, that’s just me, I could totally be wrong. Plus today was just a day of insults. One guy walked past and angrily yelled “Get a fucking job!” then walked two steps to the nearest garbage can and started going through it for something he could salvage, or sell, or whatever people do after they remove things from the garbage. Then one guy came to our circle of strike and put his hand out in a gesture of asking for money. I told him it was the wrong place, none of us had had a paycheque in 3 weeks, we had none to spare. But he stayed there for a bit, continuing to be rejected or ignored by the same 13 people walking around in a circle… We gave him a couple of water bottles though. He seemed happy with that. One funny guy came and ask if he could borrow my comb… He was so high, I wasn’t sure if he was joking because I’m bald, or seriously in need of delousing… Ah, homeless today, it’s a comedy in the making.

No, today I’m not talking about the strike. I want to tell you about my kick in the gut I took on Saturday.

We decided that 3 weeks into a strike, we had been very careful as to not spend money on any other things than bills and food, and we needed to do something a little more fun than another walk around the park. We decided to go see Brüno. We both needed to laugh. We went all out, we even had popcorn with that… with butter… I’m not sure if you’ve seen the movie yet, but it is scary and funny at the same time. I’m surprised he wasn’t seriously harmed while filming. This movie offends a lot, it makes you laugh a lot, and it was exactly what I needed. After the movie, with a couple of litres of Diet Coke in me and buttery fingers, I had to go to the bathroom pronto. Unzip, relief, zip, turn tap, get soap, wash hands, get paper towel, dry hands and walk away. That’s how fast it was.

DR needed to go to the Apple Store to try and see why his iPhone wasn’t working properly, so we left and made our way to Eaton Centre across the street. Something was bugging me, I couldn’t really put my finger on it… and then I did put my finger on it… or the lack of it… My wedding ring was missing… It just wasn’t there anymore… My heart started beating very fast all of a sudden and I started feeling very warm. I felt the inside of my pocket to in case it had fallen off in there. Nothing. I searched all my pockets. Nothing. I stopped walking and told DR about it and at the same time trying to re-step my last few moments.. and then it hit me… HAND WASHING…

We turned around quickly and walked back to the theatre, then I started to run a little bit and made my way to the washroom once again. One guy was coming out and I immediately looked at his hands to see if he was holding my ring. Nothing. I ran to the sink I had used hoping to see it in there. Nothing. I even looked in the urinal… I looked on the ground, under the sinks. Nothing, nothing. Then it hit me, I used paper towels and not the air dryer… So rushed to the garbage bin, it was full of wet and used paper towel. Fuck it. I dove in. Fist full of paper towels, I was crushing to feel something solid in them and then at the third try I felt it… My ring was in that bundle of wet paper towels… Humongous sigh of relief…

I came out to meet DR walking in my direction with a huge smile on my face. And saw one coming on to his.

Now back to the strike, here’s one of the signs that were available for us to wear today… Seriously. A cat. With ostrich feathers type ears… What is it supposed to say? That we’re no pussies?

Day 21 – It started with just one small bag…

Today, while reflecting on the strike and all the negativity it brings, I started thinking about the effects the thunderstorm might have cause yesterday…

I mean all the garbage chemical sludge from the temporary dump sites in the city will seep into the ground after such a terrible downpour and then bugs will get it all over them. Then birds will eat the bugs. Then cats will eat the birds. Then dogs will chase the cats and sniff their butts. Then children will play with dogs and might accidentally put a finger up the dog’s nose or butt. Then the mother will sniff the kid’s finger up close to find out where it’s been. Then the husband will kiss his wife goodnight. Then the secretary will kiss that same man at work tomorrow during lunch time and next thing you know we’ve got some kind of epidemic on our hands…

I’m wondering if we can all get together in a class action lawsuit against our city’s leaders since they are doing what they don’t permit us to do. On any ordinary days, any of us would be fined for illegally dumping garbage bags in a park, but the the people in charge are conveniently doing this same thing right now to all of us without any repercussions.

Of course I’m joking…

I think.

I really don’t know any lawyers…

But see, it’s already started:

Day 20 – After the storm…

Do you know what’s scarier than a huge pile of smelly garbage in the middle of a park at 6:40am on a Saturday morning 20 days into a City strike?

The answer is: walking for 20 minutes with a 25-ish pound double bagged heap of garbage through our dirty city streets and crossing loads of seedy people. I had no choice, we had been accumulating for more than 2 weeks now.

Do you know who’s up and about at the corner of Sherbourne and Dundas and its neighbourhing streets at that time on Saturdays? Probably the same people you’d see at any other time of the day there, if you pluck out the clean people and car traffic of midday that would conceal them. Seriously, it was all drug dealers, drug mules, druggies, crack whores, crack whore johns, a couple of manky cats, and a few homeless. Oh also a couple of cops on patrol more worried about me and my garbage than all the other illegal activities in sight. I assured them I hadn’t walked 20 minutes with my heavy bag just to drop it in an alley anywhere, I would wait my turn at Moss Park when it opened at 7am.

I guess in their eyes I was the only stranger there at that time…

Turns out when I arrived at Moss Park, a City staff greeted me and said I didn’t have to wait until 7am, I could just leave the bag with him. I thanked the man and wished him a good day, but he never acknowledged. Probably very tired physically and mentally after spending so many hours there and thinking that this has gone on for way too long already.

Like me.

Day 18 – Really? A Fridge?

I was asked to go to a new picket line as ours was quashed yesterday. Apparently there has been very few picketers at Seaton House on George St and they need presence and support. Sure, it’s literally 10 minutes walk from my home.

Seaton House is a shelter that can host over 400 homeless men and is run by the City. It’s an amazing place with lots of programmes to help these men acquire skills, get clothing, get meals, start back into the working force. It’s also a bit sad and maybe a tad scary to walk by these men in need, but knowing that they are seeking help is the first step that they want to change their situation.

So anyway, this morning, I made my way to Seaton House and couldn’t find anyone that was picketing, in fact… it was deserted there at 7am… oh wait… Could I be hearing someone yell in the distance?

(faint yell) “SCAAAAAB” – “SHAAAAAAME” – “SCAAAAAB” – Yeah, that’s my group.

It seemed to be coming from the other side of the building… So I trekked around the back and there it was… 5 or 6 cars idling (illegally I might add), 8 guys wearing CUPE signs and blocking the parking lot entrance… and little old me walking down the alley… It didn’t take long for someone to notice me, and since I wasn’t wearing anything CUPE, I’m sure thoughts were that I was coming in to “cross the line”… This larger woman defiantly walked to me and stood there blocking my way, she had definitely done this before. Big dumb ass frown on her face like all she needed was any little excuses to crush me like a bug on the ground. I was d. i. r. t., dirt.

Me: “Is there a sign up sheet anywhere?”
Larger Lady: “Oh” (frown turning to smile) “Yes, right there on the chair.” (frowning again) “I thought you were one-o-’em scabbies”
Me: “Trust me, if I was, I would have turned around when I saw you”
Larger Lady: “haha” (not too sure if it was a joke or an insult)

So I signed up, hooked a cardboard sign around my neck and introduced myself the other people who were there. The strike captain on that line recognized me right away and turned to the others to say that I was there from day one on the picket line, I was one of the “good guys”… I’m glad she remembered me since I helped her carry water bottles for an army at City Hall on day 3 of the strike…

Strike Captain: “There are a LOT of scabs working here”
Me: “Really!”
Strike Captain: “Oh yeah, lots and lots, so it’s 10 minutes wait for management and 20 minutes wait for scabs” then she turned to a gentleman wearing a grey shirt and said “Scabs like hiiiiiim”
Me: “Ok”
Strike Captain: “This one too, in that car, scaaaaaab”
Me: “Ok… 10 minutes management, 20 minutes scabs. Got it.”

And then this hurricane of a woman drove in, parked her car in someone else’s driveway and started yelling at people in their faces, recognizing them I assumed from working in the same office. She called them “scabs”, yelled that they should be ashamed, that they wouldn’t get in as long as she was there… It went on, loudly, for quite sometimes, only interrupted by a management type being let in or out. It’s not like I was scared or anything, but standing there, in the middle of all of it, was totally uncomfortable but exciting at the same time….

Next thing I knew more than 2 hours had passed, the hurricane had gone away, the last 2 scabs were being let in (they waited waaaaay more than their 20 minutes as both them decided to talk back instead of just keeping cool, apparently punishable by 1hr10min extra)… All this time, the strike captain was trying to get someone from the union to get protocol on how long “scabs” could be stopped at the entrance… I didn’t stick around long enough to find out.

Of all my days picketing, this was definitely the fastest one… I couldn’t believe how quickly 4 hours went by. So much action, so much screaming, so much finger pointing… I had a permanent smile on my face.

One other thing I did notice was that since most of the picketers at this line worked for Seaton House, you could really tell that they loved their jobs and that they loved the management they work with as there was a lot of hugging from both sides, a lot of good-natured conversations too. Some managers bringing food for us, some others just making sure everyone was doing ok, that no one needed to use the facilities… A good group… A group I wouldn’t mind joining when there’s availability in their admin offices. If they could only fix this fucking strike already.

Oh, and since the fridge in the picture above was gone when I arrived home, I felt cheated, so here’s another one I took also on my way to the picket line this morning:

Day 17 – Early Morning Bird Breakfast – There was tons of bird on this garbage bin, which I totally scared off as I tried to get closer, I felt like Tippi Hedren

When I arrived at my regular circle of strike this morning, I thought it was going to be a good day… but no… Our strike captain arrived and told us that an injunction had been filed against picketers at Old City Hall and we no longer could march there… So we packed up and made our way to busier New City Hall next door and signed in. Then the old chanting of Fair Contract started and my headache came back. I took a sign and decided that I would just walk around City Hall instead of joining any entrance blocking circle of strike. That was boring very fast. So I just sat down in the back of the building by the staff entrance and read. I felt I was still visible and approachable if someone had questions and since I feel very strongly about not giving a hand to those who feel blocking someone’s entrance into a building is a valid way to make your point across, I thought I’d stay out of people’s way. I don’t intend in pissing off people intentionally. No siree, not me. Nah-ah.

But, fuck man, sitting down on cement is really not my idea of fun either… I really wanted to wave my middle finger in the air and leave that place, but I had been there for more than 2 hours already, so I thought better of it and decided to wait it out and get paid my $40 for that day anyway. So I went for a long walk around the building and noticed how disrespectful or simply ignorant some people are. There was a good 50 or 60 people walking in circle in front of City Hall, with plenty of space around them for other people to walk by, but bicycles or walkers alike would just dash through the circle instead. 2 adults from some Bond St Daycare place walking by with a dozen of small children did the same thing, interrupted the circle of strike so they could walk by. When one striker asked why she was showing the children how to be ignorant instead of being respectful, the first adult in line had nothing to say, the second one, took the last 3 children in the group and walked them outside the circle… One cyclist preferred to blow his whistle at the group so they would move out of his way instead of simply turning his bike 20 degrees to the right and avoid the whole bunch of them… and so on, and so on… As I watched, I felt really over the whole thing.

I’m really hoping that this afternoon’s emergency meeting with the city councilors will have an effect on this strike, let’s hope they ask the mayor to legislate us back to work so we can go start doing our jobs again and remove the bad taste this City has left its inhabitants for the last 2.5 weeks.

And in response to Maizey who has left a comment yesterday: I appreciate the compliment and invite you to leave many more comments in the future. If I can have my say, then you should be able to as well. But… although you may be working a lot of hours during this strike, remember that you are being paid with overtime rate, which is, if I’m not mistaken, close to $100/hour at this time, right? So permit me not to feel sorry for the management. While some of us might not be able to make rent or mortgages, you will be able be able to afford a really nice addition to your house or a cottage or whatever else the crazy amount of money you’ve made during these last few days will afford you.

In my case, I know I will have to work a lot of overtime to correct mistakes or simply do all the work that wasn’t done while our office was fully operational with a handful of people only during the entire time of the strike. Yes, eventually, I will make back the money I’ve lost so far, but will Visa care? Will my landlord care when I come up with money 1 or 2 months later? I can’t be sure. The strike also means our vacation plans for the rest of the Summer are officially canceled. As I reminded my boss when she was freaking out about having to work during the strike, I said I did not know one worker who wanted this strike, not one person wanted to go without a salary for any period of time.

Let’s just hope this ends soon AND without a Spike Lee movie solution.

Day 16 – This mountain of garbage at Moss Park is basketball nets’ high, and yet really not all that smelly… Will we win the Best Smelling Garbage award?

I’m observing a lot of little things these days while walking the circle of strike. It’s easy to pinpoint which side of the strike people are on, no one is standing on the fence at all… Either they yell at us to get off our asses and go back to work – or – they say that Miller and his cronies have to be voted out of office. Not one of them has commented on the new hat I premiered today… bastards!

We’re told once more that both sides have not budged one millimetre yet. Issues remaining Sick Days and wage increase. Again, the 5 week strike duration period was being mentioned around as if someone had already decided before we all started to walk just how long it would last. So let’s all brace ourselves for that much… doesn’t look like we’ll be going back to work anytime before July 27th. My original guess was July 9th… let’s see how well I do, it’s only 2 days away. Not looking good for me. That’s why I don’t gamble or even play 6/49.

Today, while walking, this tourist looked at me and started walking in my direction. It was clear he had a question and but he looked like he wasn’t sure how to approach one of us… As I got nearer, he stopped me:
Tourist: “How long is this going to last”
Me: “I have no idea, I’m hoping the negotiations are going well and it will be…”
Tourist: “Do you know where Mountain Coop is?”
Me: “… over soon… huh… Yeah, it’s on King St W, at Spadina… (pointing towards the west)
Tourist: (vaporizes out of there like a Trekkie being beamed up)
Me: “You’re welcome”

Two little things happened to us today… We’re going back to the earlier walking shift of 7am – 11am (yeh!!!) as apparently too many people drive their cars inside the City Hall parking lot between 7am and 8am… And someone complained to the union that the strikers at Old City Hall weren’t doing anything, that we just sat and chatted all day long, to which the union replied it was bullshit as the room they are in for the negotiation overlooks both City Hall and Old City Hall and they can actually see us walking non-stop and handing flyers to people… I wonder who complained?… Who has that much time?

I got my first Strike Paycheque today… It will pay half of my Rogers bill, what a relief.

Day 15 – We need a clean-up in aisle 1

Rumour has it (and I say rumour because my ass is not sitting at the negotiation tables so I don’t know first hand) that the City came to the Union with a very generous offer today: the exact same one that has been on the tables since January and that has been refused month after month.

Ok, big boys and big girls in charge, we get it. The City won’t budge and the Union won’t budge either. It’s clear. You’ve both told us loudly time and time again in the last 15 days. None of the 2 parties involved want to lose face in this situation. So it’s time to bring in arbitration so that the mayor can salvage some votes and make someone else the bad guy with the decision making.

We’re all getting really tired…

The public is tired. The media is tiring with their same old song of fake drama on the 6pm news. The strikers are tired of seeing their bank accounts go down and not seeing any clear progress from their leaders.

This morning, as we awaited our Steward, I could really tell the mood was low. People would rather be back at work than face another 4 hours in the circle of strike, answering the same questions and giving the same answers:

Person: “How long is the strike gonna last?”
Me: “I don’t know”
or
Person: “Aren’t you tired of striking”
Me: “Yes”
or
Person: “Get another job if you don’t like this one”
Me: “I can say Fuck You in 4 languages”

So knowing I should maybe start a game or two to make time go by faster, I decided that every stupid question I couldn’t really answer would be replaced with one that included my iced bottle of water in it:

How long is this strike going to last? became How long could I hit you in the forehead with my iced bottle of water?… Are you tired of striking? became Are you tired of my iced bottle of water hitting you on the forehead?… Get another job became Get a another iced bottle of water to continue hitting you on the forehead… and so on. But it was becoming more violent with every question and this game was getting lame and ultra repetitive fast… so I had to find another one.

And then, like a strike miracle, this large sick bird dropped this huge wet turd on the sidewalk where we march… Gross with a capital G… but it was the perfect setting for a new game, to see how long it would take for someone to step on it… Crude I know, but fascinating nonetheless… Unfortunately my game was cut short after the second time around when I saw this:

I won’t go into details with how bad it got after more and more people stepped in it but let just say that our circle of strike really started leaving it’s “mark” today.

And no, the irony is not lost on me…

Christie Pits has been in the news a lot lately. The residents around the park are fed up and are fighting back. They went to City Hall on Wednesday to demonstrate and leave some garbage behind for Mr. Miller. Their local outdoor arena is filled up with garbage, in fact, so much so that today at 7pm it will have reached capacity. As far as I know, it is the first temporary garbage site to do so since the strike started 14 days ago.

I have seen it in the news but wanted to see for myself. DR and I set out on a mission with our cameras. I’m not too familiar with that part of my city, when I first arrived, I couldn’t find the garbage pile and certainly couldn’t smell it. But that changed quickly as we ventured inside more.

The smell is strong, the piles are high, and the residents have bonded together against this mess:

Day 14 – Handmade signs

Day 14 – Painted signs

Day 14 – Find Waldo and his friend

Day 14 – “Tourist attraction” that must be seen and smelled to be believed

They are pissed off. And now I understand why first hand. We really shouldn’t have to live with these conditions. This is one little area of our large city, and with this site closing, another one will open. How long before there is a temporary site on our street?

Day 14 – Printed signs

This a long time away from now, but a lot of people will not forget.