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If it goes ahead, I expect back to work Tuesday or Wednesday. The reason, I suspect, that they start Saturday is to let it go a few days before the legislature sits to pass back-to-work legislation. It does have the benefit of giving many people more time to make other plans for the weekday.
 
I have to admit that during the last strike driving my car around the city was amazingly easy. With no streetcars along Queen to fight around, rush hour traffic with both lanes open was a breeze. I recall zooming along Queen from downtown to the end of Queen East in about half the normal time.

There are some pluses to getting rid of all the congestion the TTC causes with its surface routes. And...I do not believe that the strike will put tons of more cars on Toronto's roads, since a lot of the TTC's passengers do not have cars. Those that do are free to drive to work, since the roads will be wide open without streetcars blocking two lanes of traffic when stopped and traveling well under the limit when moving.
 
^ I had the opposite experience. Bumper to bumper traffic to work and back along the whole route (minus the part where I take the 400 since I go against traffic).

It sucks that I have an exam on Saturday. Luckily I can still take the GO.
 
Admiral Beez said:
I have to admit that during the last strike driving my car around the city was amazingly easy. With no streetcars along Queen to fight around, rush hour traffic with both lanes open was a breeze. I recall zooming along Queen from downtown to the end of Queen East in about half the normal time.

There are some pluses to getting rid of all the congestion the TTC causes with its surface routes. And...I do not believe that the strike will put tons of more cars on Toronto's roads, since a lot of the TTC's passengers do not have cars. Those that do are free to drive to work, since the roads will be wide open without streetcars blocking two lanes of traffic when stopped and traveling well under the limit when moving.
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Exactly, they should just get rid of all public transit to reduce traffic congestion. At the same time, increase the demand for cars and create new jobs and boost the economy.
 
doady said:
Exactly, they should just get rid of all public transit to reduce traffic congestion. At the same time, increase the demand for cars and create new jobs and boost the economy.
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Well, except the subway, that doesn't block cars. And the GO Trains, because they don't block cars either, except when they cross streets where there's no bridge. But then we need people to get to the GO Trains and subways, and we can't build enough spots to fit all the cars. So we'll need some buses to feed the subways at least, where there isn't the giant parking lots. And we want to make the buses attractive for people to take to the subway, so they need to come often. But buses will block cars.

D'oh!
 
SeanTrans said:
Well, except the subway, that doesn't block cars. And the GO Trains, because they don't block cars either, except when they cross streets where there's no bridge. But then we need people to get to the GO Trains and subways, and we can't build enough spots to fit all the cars. So we'll need some buses to feed the subways at least, where there isn't the giant parking lots. And we want to make the buses attractive for people to take to the subway, so they need to come often. But buses will block cars.

D'oh!
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What if we take those buses, and put them on rails! Since there isnt much space downtown, we can run them right on the road in their own lanes! That way they dont interfere with cars. But wait, that means we lose 2 lanes for all those cars. Dammit, this planning is harder than it looks.
 
TTC union set to announce Monday strike
Walkout could strand 1.5 million riders, but talks likely to continue over weekend
Apr 17, 2008 04:30 AM
The Star
Tess Kalinowski
transportation reporter

Toronto's most powerful transit union is expected to issue a strike deadline today that could leave 1.5 million TTC riders stranded Monday if a deal isn't reached.

Both sides confirmed yesterday that they are still talking and discussions are expected to continue through the weekend.

Union president Bob Kinnear would not comment on plans to hold a news conference this morning. It would, however, follow on one last Thursday in which he warned that the union was growing increasingly impatient with the slow pace of bargaining.

He accused the TTC then of trying to push the union into a strike it doesn't want.

"We, better than anyone, understand the frustration the public feels. We don't want to compound that frustration," he told reporters, adding that the minute his members walk off the job they become "public enemy number one."

The 8,900 drivers and maintenance staff, members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, have been in a legal strike position since April 1. Two smaller TTC unions representing millwrights and electrical and communications workers are also seeking a deal and are in a legal strike position.

Kinnear has said there will be no work-to-rule, only a full withdrawal of service. The union has however, committed to giving the public at least 48 hours' notice.

TTC chair Adam Giambrone continued yesterday to reject Kinnear's call for him to take the lead on negotiations. "We have confidence in our bargaining team and will continue to work together."

The TTC has been given no indication of what the union might announce today, said spokesperson Brad Ross. "Our goal is to reach a deal that is fair for our workers and one that is fair for the people of Toronto given the TTC's financial situation – fair, but nobody should be looking for generosity. That's the reality of the situation."

The union rejected a first offer of about 2 per cent in each year of a three-year deal. Although progress has been made on the issue of benefits for workers injured on the job, the TTC is looking for other benefit concessions, Kinnear has said.

Meanwhile, the TTC has suggested it's willing to improve the benefits package for all unionized employees by redistributing premiums some workers already get.

The TTC pays the Ontario Health Tax premium for its employees, a cost most workers in the province pay themselves. That costs about $6 million annually – about $4.5 million for unionized employees, according to one source.

It also pays about $9 million annually in Sunday shift premiums.

According to one source, the union won about $17 million in benefit improvements in the last round of bargaining and the money isn't there to do that again.
 
Tuscani01 said:
^ I had the opposite experience. Bumper to bumper traffic to work and back along the whole route (minus the part where I take the 400 since I go against traffic).

It sucks that I have an exam on Saturday. Luckily I can still take the GO.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the traffic was hilariously bad downtown during the afternoon of the strike...pedestrians and cyclists were the only ones moving. Fortunately, this time, I can reach downtown by foot in about 2.5-3 hours.
 
Panzerfaust, if you're going to Union, don't forget GO transit. Their trains and buses serve a lot of the city. You just might have to walk a little further to a stop.
 
unimaginative2 said:
Panzerfaust, if you're going to Union, don't forget GO transit. Their trains and buses serve a lot of the city. You just might have to walk a little further to a stop.
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Well the place I'm headed is about a half hour walk west of Scarborough GO Station, I just take GO to Union then take the TTC because A) it's cheaper, since I'd need to take the bus afterwards anyway and B) I like to ride the subway :p

Anyway, it looks like the strike won't be until Monday, so I guess I'm okay. It'll suck for people who actually live in the city though.
 
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