本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Thank you all for coming here on a Friday afternoon. I know that when you
leave here you'll probably be stuck in rush hour traffic. And when you get
frustrated because you're hardly moving while you're burning gas that cost
almost a dollar a litre, think about how much worse it would be if it were not
for the men and women of the Transit Workers Union.
Our members move Toronto. And we could move Toronto faster and more
efficiently if the provincial and federal governments stepped up to the plate
and gave public transit the support that it needs and deserves. Toronto's
economy and environment have suffered because of years of TTC underfunding.
Since I became President of this union more than a year ago, we have made
great efforts to reach out to our customers, to those we serve every day.
Toronto used to have the world's best public transit system. We were all proud
of it. But after years of Conservative slashing and Liberal neglect, no one
would make that claim today.
Transit workers have been doing our part to keep our system safe and
efficient. For more than a decade, our wages have not kept pace with the cost
of living. Our members in maintenance are asked to work miracles with old
tools and an aging fleet of vehicles. Our operators have to stay alert every
single second, under incredible pressures to meet precise schedules. You in
the media are always talking about the pressures of your deadlines. You should
try driving a bus in rush hour.
Transit users have also been doing their part. They have been paying
higher and higher fares for reduced service. I suppose it's only natural that
some riders blame our members for fare hikes but that is simply not the case.
A few weeks ago, TTC fares went up 25 cents. If our members got a wage
increase this year of only 3% - which would barely keep pace with the increase
in the cost of living in Toronto - that 3% would account for only about 2
cents of that recent fare increase.
Let me repeat that. Only about 2 cents of the 25 cent fare increase
already in place would pay for a 3 percent wage increase.
And let me remind you that other transit systems close to Toronto have
already settled for 3 percent per year increases for three year contracts. And
let me further remind you that the Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission,
Howard Moscoe, has said on more than one occasion in recent weeks that he
expected the same 3 percent per year settlement for the TTC.
We learned less than three hours ago that the TTC does not think we are
entitled to our two cents worth. The wage offer falls short of what the Chair
of the TTC himself said would be fair. And it's not just a matter of wages. We
were willing to make compromises on the timing and rate of wage increases. We
were even willing to be flexible on the length of the collective agreement.
But there are several very important non-monetary issues on which the TTC has
shown little or no flexibility.
Let me give you a brief example. We have the finest public transit
maintenance staff in the world. That's not just my opinion. That's a fact. Our
buses, streetcars and subway cars last longer and carry more passengers than
anywhere else in the world. And that's due to the skill of our members. And
yet TTC management thinks that these highly skilled workers are disposable.
They want to throw them away and contract out their work even if it costs the
TTC more money.
The Commission is going to try to spin their wage offer as reasonable.
Even if we agreed, which we don't, what good is a wage increase if you won't
be collecting it next month? I regret very much that we are far apart on this
issue of contracting out. I was hopeful that we could get a deal because we
had made good progress on issues affecting our Operators. It is a complete
mystery to me why the Commission doesn't want to address critical maintenance
issues.
When it comes to public transit, we are not the problem. And we are tired
of taking the flack for government short-sightedness. We are tired of being
blamed for having to collect higher and higher fares from our passengers, most
of whom are working people like us.
It is therefore with the deepest regret that I have to announce that we
will be withdrawing our services as of Monday morning. We will give the
Commission the weekend to think about the consequences of their inadequate
offer. That is the unanimous decision of our Executive Board.
We very much hope that this dispute can be resolved quickly.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
leave here you'll probably be stuck in rush hour traffic. And when you get
frustrated because you're hardly moving while you're burning gas that cost
almost a dollar a litre, think about how much worse it would be if it were not
for the men and women of the Transit Workers Union.
Our members move Toronto. And we could move Toronto faster and more
efficiently if the provincial and federal governments stepped up to the plate
and gave public transit the support that it needs and deserves. Toronto's
economy and environment have suffered because of years of TTC underfunding.
Since I became President of this union more than a year ago, we have made
great efforts to reach out to our customers, to those we serve every day.
Toronto used to have the world's best public transit system. We were all proud
of it. But after years of Conservative slashing and Liberal neglect, no one
would make that claim today.
Transit workers have been doing our part to keep our system safe and
efficient. For more than a decade, our wages have not kept pace with the cost
of living. Our members in maintenance are asked to work miracles with old
tools and an aging fleet of vehicles. Our operators have to stay alert every
single second, under incredible pressures to meet precise schedules. You in
the media are always talking about the pressures of your deadlines. You should
try driving a bus in rush hour.
Transit users have also been doing their part. They have been paying
higher and higher fares for reduced service. I suppose it's only natural that
some riders blame our members for fare hikes but that is simply not the case.
A few weeks ago, TTC fares went up 25 cents. If our members got a wage
increase this year of only 3% - which would barely keep pace with the increase
in the cost of living in Toronto - that 3% would account for only about 2
cents of that recent fare increase.
Let me repeat that. Only about 2 cents of the 25 cent fare increase
already in place would pay for a 3 percent wage increase.
And let me remind you that other transit systems close to Toronto have
already settled for 3 percent per year increases for three year contracts. And
let me further remind you that the Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission,
Howard Moscoe, has said on more than one occasion in recent weeks that he
expected the same 3 percent per year settlement for the TTC.
We learned less than three hours ago that the TTC does not think we are
entitled to our two cents worth. The wage offer falls short of what the Chair
of the TTC himself said would be fair. And it's not just a matter of wages. We
were willing to make compromises on the timing and rate of wage increases. We
were even willing to be flexible on the length of the collective agreement.
But there are several very important non-monetary issues on which the TTC has
shown little or no flexibility.
Let me give you a brief example. We have the finest public transit
maintenance staff in the world. That's not just my opinion. That's a fact. Our
buses, streetcars and subway cars last longer and carry more passengers than
anywhere else in the world. And that's due to the skill of our members. And
yet TTC management thinks that these highly skilled workers are disposable.
They want to throw them away and contract out their work even if it costs the
TTC more money.
The Commission is going to try to spin their wage offer as reasonable.
Even if we agreed, which we don't, what good is a wage increase if you won't
be collecting it next month? I regret very much that we are far apart on this
issue of contracting out. I was hopeful that we could get a deal because we
had made good progress on issues affecting our Operators. It is a complete
mystery to me why the Commission doesn't want to address critical maintenance
issues.
When it comes to public transit, we are not the problem. And we are tired
of taking the flack for government short-sightedness. We are tired of being
blamed for having to collect higher and higher fares from our passengers, most
of whom are working people like us.
It is therefore with the deepest regret that I have to announce that we
will be withdrawing our services as of Monday morning. We will give the
Commission the weekend to think about the consequences of their inadequate
offer. That is the unanimous decision of our Executive Board.
We very much hope that this dispute can be resolved quickly.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net