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Winter Weather and the OC Transpo Strike

Posted: Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

Hey Gang;

Hope you’re making your way to wherever it is you need to go today…I know it can’t be easy with the winter weather and the OC Transpo strike. Its such a shame that nothing could be resolved before it all came down to a strike situation.

I’ve been on strike before, and believe me, no matter what the issues, it’s really not a lot of fun. I’m sure the members of the transit union who are walking the picket lines today are hoping that this situation doesn’t last very long…as I’m sure most of the public is hoping for a quick resolution.

Obviously, from a union perspective, staging a strike at this particular time of year is very effective…and it seems to me that would be the idea. The union has a point to make, and no better way to make it than to shut down the transit system in the middle of December, especially in the middle of the biggest storm of the season. What bothers me most is that you and I are the ones that suffer the consequences of this labor situation, even though we really have nothing to do with it.

There are many points to consider here…while we certainly don’t appreciate the massive inconvenience that a transit strike brings, the union membership voted 98% in favor of strike action…so they obviously feel they are justified in walking out. Then there’s the fact that the ATU has been without a contract since March of this year…seems to me there’s been ample time to sort out a contract before it came down to a strike. That didn’t happen, so here we sit, without public transportation.

This may just be a perfect opportunity to show the true Christmas spirit…if someone needs a lift, and you have the opportunity to provide one, then why not go ahead and help somebody out? I bet you know at least a couple of people who depend on the public transportation system to get around…and if you could lend a helping hand, I’m certain you and the person in need would feel great about it!

Speaking of helping out, tomorrow is our Great Fame for Food Drive….we’ll be at it all day long, collecting food and cash to help out needy families in Ottawa and the Upper Ottawa Valley. You can find a list of drop off sites on our web site…www.atv.ca. If you can spare a few minutes and a few cans of food, we’d love to see you tomorrow! Again, another opportunity to help someone less fortunate…you’ll feel good…they’ll feel good…it’s all good!

See you tomorrow…good luck getting around today!

Cheers

Kurt