The Garbage Strike Conspiracy - Denouement

AreWeAllSamNow?
TheLotusHasLandedVille

The strike that stole all of our summer and half of our fall is now over.

Garbage pick-up has started. The ice is starting to be layed in the rinks. And you will soon be able to take out real, dead-tree edition books from the library once again.

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So, what was it all about Alfie?

Well, for the real story, we once again we turn to Picket Boy, one of the finest citizen journalists this, The City of Vancouver, has ever seen

Here is his take:

"I am no fan of the CITY or CUPE.

What should have been a 3 week strike degenerated into a 13 week grudge match.

The City with its:

• initial & repeated "firm, final offers" (a tactic illegal under US Labour Law);
  
• a 39 month contract offer (who negotiates during or just after an Olympics?);
  
• reduced benefits;
  
• the Mayor's misguided musings;
  
• unwillingness to consider other Metro Vancouver library contracts;
  

generated an unheard of 90 - 96% Strike Mandate.

CUPE hands are dirty too.

• No Layoffs Due to Contracting Out;
  
• Seniority before Merit for all Auxiliary Workers;
  
• Treating the Olympics as just another work day;
  
• Designating all Olympic sites as CUPE facilities."

Once again, we ask the following: where, if anywhere, in the proMedia did you ever see incisive and insightful commentary like that.

So, what does P.B. think the fallout will be?

The strike is over except for Mayor Sam Sullivan. He wants to bill the November 2008 civic election as CUPE vs SAM, The Final Knockout. It's sad really. After 3 years the Mayor has no policy achievements only a continual flow of wish list press releases.

CUPE did itself no favours at its second rally outside City Hall. Declaring that CUPE will work to defeat the Mayor, CUPE gift wrapped an election platform Mayor Sullivan is happily exploiting. 12 months, however, is an eternity in politics.

All the while Cambie Street businesses received no property tax relief and now 35% are closed. Businesses at Library Square received no rent relief. The City is the landlord.


And what of the future?

Well, we sure would like PicketBoy to stick around and tell us what he thinks but, unfortunately, he's pulling the plug because, well, he's got other things to do:

"Thank you for the comments, the support and most importantly for reading.

If there is a strike in 2012 I won't be with the City. 11 weeks provided the opportunity to develop a realistic business plan. It's been set in motion and one goal, unexpectedly, has already been reached.

It will be a great adventure."



Which is too bad because I, for one, will miss him.

But I sure do wish him well in his upcoming ventures/adventures.

And if you do too, head on over over to his place and let him know it.

Or at the very least thank him for a job very well done, indeed.

OK?


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