Stupid strike
Seriously F@%k this strike.
I am in a union (not CUPE) and I do not support this strike. Believe it or not I think the city (Miller, negotiators, managers) are right on this one. The city's financial problems were well known, well documented, and left over form the Harris years downloading of services. I am sorry but even having paid sick days is a serious privilege on its own, banking them and cashing them out at retirement is RIDICULOUS!
How can 24,000 go so long without working / getting paid! Mortgages, rent, credit cards, & bills don't care if you're on strike or not, HOW do these people go so long without getting a pay cheque. I'd be freaking if I was forced to be on strike.
This is ridiculous, the union needs to make concessions, the union conditions are already far better than non-union, they should open their eyes, back down, end this strike and get their sorry a$$es back to work.
And for all the cynics/Miller-bashers, well this proves he is not a "union-loving" NDP'er. Exactly the same thing is happening as it did when Bob Rae was Premier of Ontario. He needed to cut some costs, so he brought in Rae-days (unpaid days off work) and the unions turned against him. Imagine that - an unpaid day every now & then to hang with your family...oooooh that's so terrible!
I support Miller & the city managers in this instance. They are standing their ground, dealing with their financial struggles and not giving in.