Bus Strike Week #2

So the bus stroke is still on and we are now hearing rumours that they could be on strike until March.  It's not even halfway through February and they know a deal won't be reached until March? Seriously almost a whole month and you can't come to an agreement? I have a feeling this bus strike is really bad news for the city and really really bad news for Transit workers, as citizens are slowly turning against them just like i said would happen!

I read last week that some of the union workers striking are not happy about the strike either and are not in support if it. And now there are people picketing the picketers! There is one man who walks in front of the picket line every morning with a sign that reads "TAXPAYER, who do transit workers think they are" with another sign that says "Transit- Fire them and re-hire". This one man who is standing up against all the other picketers, and actually gets more waves and honks then the Transit strikers are getting. Why? Because no one supports the Transit Strike! On the radio this morning they said they same thing the man stated, fire the few transit workers that are not happy and hire new ones. This was on one of the most popular radio stations in the city saying what everyone else is thinking. The city cannot afford what the workers want, taxpayers do not want to pay more than what we already pay, but the transit expects us to just give them what they want? The city has made a number of offers but every single offer the union has turned down. They say it's not about money yet it's right there in the paper and on the news that the city offered an amount that the union felt was too low. HAHA! It's always about money!

I've been lucky so far to catch a ride with co workers and friends, but that still does not make commuting to work any better. We have to leave almost an hour earlier, and we have to park a good 20 minute walk away from our office. The other day they had police directing traffic because of how congested traffic has become. It must have been the only way to get traffic moving, the cops directing instead of cars stopping for traffic lights. I have to say it did make a difference. But can they do that everyday? No, it's just not possible. Also more cars on the road equals more car accidents! For some people getting to work now means a 3 hour commute!

Transit workers: Get off your high horse and suck it up that you do not get to select which shifts you work and for how much! Welcome to the real world. That's why it is called job!

Bus Strike!

Bus story? What bus story? Transit is on strike! Can you believe it? It's the middle of the winter (a mild one at least) and not a single bus or ferry is running. So my options are to take my car to work and pay and arm & leg for parking, swim across the polluted harbour (not much of an option) or walk across a cold windy bridge that will take me 2 hours to get to work. Unfortunately none of these options work for me.

So what i will do is post stories from years ago, or recent stories that I haven't had a chance to enter. It's been a few months since i wrote any stories so i think you deserve a few. I will also post the interesting ways I get to work, and how much of an inconvenience it is that Transit is on strike. Also feel free to post/ vent some of your frustration about the strike, i know i am not the only one that is upset.

I understand that the drivers want fair pay, job security etc. but i think all of us want job security and fair pay and to inconvenience 96,000 daily commuters to get there point across is unnecassary! And i'm not just talking about myself, what about the people who can't afford a cab and rely on the bus everyday to get to & from everywhere? What about those who can't afford a vehicle but rely on the bus to drop off their kids to daycare or school? Or how about the people who use the Access-a-bus to get to the hospital for cancer treatments? Oh wait, your job security/ pay raise is more important! Go ahead and fight for what you want, but to affect this many people and to pull public transportation is a bit much I think. I know not everyone will agree with me, and i am entitled to my opinion, but if this strike continues as long as last time (5 weeks) no one will be supporting the strikers!