The TTC topic … one more time
This week I was going to talk about billboards and the effect they have on traffic but that scintillating blog is just going to have to wait for another week. Please forgive me but I feel I must discuss the TTC situation just one more time.
What on earth happened last weekend? Not only were many left stranded but even those of us with other methods of transportation were left shaking our heads.
Even though there was some talk that perhaps the deal would be voted down, optimism seemed to prevail. As a member of the commuting public I always felt as if the TTC and the Union were not bargaining in a vacuum, but that they were considering us and keeping us informed. During negotiations TTC union leader Bob Kinnear talked about what was fair and what was right and he made some very valid points.
We are a very forgiving public. We were outraged and hugely inconvenienced by the TTC surprise one day wildcat walkout of 2006 but did we hold that against them? No. My feeling was that even though no one wanted a strike, we did understand that the union had some very valid points.
But now, all that goodwill has been washed away. And for what?
After the tentative deal had been reached Toronto Mayor David Miller acknowledged the goodwill on both sides and didn’t want to discuss making the TTC an essential service. But after that ill-advised move of the union last weekend the gloves are off.
We’ll see how it all plays out . But when all is said and done, and after all the political rhetoric and posturing is over, if I were a betting person I’d say the TTC will be made an essential service within the next few weeks.