Arbitrary Bargaining
Settlements of disagreements require good faith, the suspension of aggressive demands and denials, and the observable intent to create an atmosphere where a solution may be possible. In the case of the OC Transpo transit strike in Ottawa, now in its third week and ongoing, relations between the municipality and the transit union remain bitterly uncompromising, leaving the city's transit users in a real lurch of uncertainty and anger-provoking trials trying to cope with alternative means of transit, traffic congestion, long waits, and winter weather conditions.
Not a very consolable situation for people having to balance home and work life, nor those heavily dependent on the practical use of public transportation to enable them to live normal and healthy lives. The municipality erred in leaving the matter of a new contract, to come to such a pass. The union leadership appears to live on another planetary dimension altogether, completely out of touch with the current economic straits facing the country, the world at large, and in fact, people whose means of employment have suddenly evaporated.
The transit employees earn a decent wage and they enjoy good benefits. Everyone feels they're underpaid and under-resourced. But you're truly underpaid when you're out of a job, and in a financial atmosphere such as this which has devastated so many sectors of employment, it's prudent to accept a good offer, and await opportunities in the future to do better, while holding on to a secure job. Everyone can find fault with certain aspects of their employment, there's nothing completely suited in all details to everyone's expectations.
But there is a time and a place for everything to be resolved. Right now is not the time or the place for unions to do battle on behalf of their employment-secure members. Too many of the people whose property taxes pay the wages of these service providers and who are themselves dependent on these services, are facing their own straitened circumstances; why should they have a further burden imposed on them?
In the latest round of negotiations, now broken off, the city's mayor claimed that an offer to the union of binding arbitration was summarily dismissed. The local head of the Amalgamated Transit Unit claims no such offer was ever mentioned. Yet notes taken at a news conference following the meeting had local union president Andre Cornellier declining to respond to the query put to him; whether he would in fact acquiesce to binding arbitration.
The union demands guarantees that the municipality will not agree to providing; the city's response is that workers must work a full shift to be paid for a full shift. The critical issue of scheduling being handed over to the city rather than being left in the hands of the union just isn't flying; neither side will relent. And as for the union loftily stating when the strike was called on December 10th, that the issue is not about money, it's sticking to its insistence of a 9.25% wage settlement over three years, not the 7.25% offered.
The union wants it all their way, before it will permit buses to roll again on the highway. It will not permit the members to take part in a free and secret-ballot vote on the city's last offer. Being out on strike in an Ottawa winter is no fun for anyone, it's a brutal form of protest. Not bringing home a weekly pay cheque is even worse. Raising the ire of the public through the union's intransigence gains the workers no friends and supporters among the public. It's not a nice place to be in.
The matter of booking doesn't affect the entire 2,300 drivers, mechanics and dispatchers. They've gone out on principle, in support of their union's demand that seniority in booking is a critical issue that requires their co-operation. In fact, the issue will benefit a mere few hundred workers. Given the opportunity to vote for the reasonable contract offer proffered by the city, in light of the pressures involved of a tight city budget, it's entirely likely the union membership would vote to accept the offer.
"I am not going to bring it to my membership", avows Mr. Cornellier..."There is no law that says we should." And in the meanwhile, hard-pressed former transit users have desperately sought out alternative means of transport, from the rigours of winter-walking great distances, to bicycling when possible, car-pooling and generally gritting their teeth in aggravation. They're unhappy but reconciled in part to the idea that this strike could continue and they must cope with that reality.
When faced with reality, reasonable people should react in a reasonable and mutually beneficial manner. There's something fundamentally amiss with that equation as practised by the Amalgamated Transit Unit's Ottawa local.
Not a very consolable situation for people having to balance home and work life, nor those heavily dependent on the practical use of public transportation to enable them to live normal and healthy lives. The municipality erred in leaving the matter of a new contract, to come to such a pass. The union leadership appears to live on another planetary dimension altogether, completely out of touch with the current economic straits facing the country, the world at large, and in fact, people whose means of employment have suddenly evaporated.
The transit employees earn a decent wage and they enjoy good benefits. Everyone feels they're underpaid and under-resourced. But you're truly underpaid when you're out of a job, and in a financial atmosphere such as this which has devastated so many sectors of employment, it's prudent to accept a good offer, and await opportunities in the future to do better, while holding on to a secure job. Everyone can find fault with certain aspects of their employment, there's nothing completely suited in all details to everyone's expectations.
But there is a time and a place for everything to be resolved. Right now is not the time or the place for unions to do battle on behalf of their employment-secure members. Too many of the people whose property taxes pay the wages of these service providers and who are themselves dependent on these services, are facing their own straitened circumstances; why should they have a further burden imposed on them?
In the latest round of negotiations, now broken off, the city's mayor claimed that an offer to the union of binding arbitration was summarily dismissed. The local head of the Amalgamated Transit Unit claims no such offer was ever mentioned. Yet notes taken at a news conference following the meeting had local union president Andre Cornellier declining to respond to the query put to him; whether he would in fact acquiesce to binding arbitration.
The union demands guarantees that the municipality will not agree to providing; the city's response is that workers must work a full shift to be paid for a full shift. The critical issue of scheduling being handed over to the city rather than being left in the hands of the union just isn't flying; neither side will relent. And as for the union loftily stating when the strike was called on December 10th, that the issue is not about money, it's sticking to its insistence of a 9.25% wage settlement over three years, not the 7.25% offered.
The union wants it all their way, before it will permit buses to roll again on the highway. It will not permit the members to take part in a free and secret-ballot vote on the city's last offer. Being out on strike in an Ottawa winter is no fun for anyone, it's a brutal form of protest. Not bringing home a weekly pay cheque is even worse. Raising the ire of the public through the union's intransigence gains the workers no friends and supporters among the public. It's not a nice place to be in.
The matter of booking doesn't affect the entire 2,300 drivers, mechanics and dispatchers. They've gone out on principle, in support of their union's demand that seniority in booking is a critical issue that requires their co-operation. In fact, the issue will benefit a mere few hundred workers. Given the opportunity to vote for the reasonable contract offer proffered by the city, in light of the pressures involved of a tight city budget, it's entirely likely the union membership would vote to accept the offer.
"I am not going to bring it to my membership", avows Mr. Cornellier..."There is no law that says we should." And in the meanwhile, hard-pressed former transit users have desperately sought out alternative means of transport, from the rigours of winter-walking great distances, to bicycling when possible, car-pooling and generally gritting their teeth in aggravation. They're unhappy but reconciled in part to the idea that this strike could continue and they must cope with that reality.
When faced with reality, reasonable people should react in a reasonable and mutually beneficial manner. There's something fundamentally amiss with that equation as practised by the Amalgamated Transit Unit's Ottawa local.
Labels: Human Relations, Realities, Values
posted by Pieface @ 1:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home