Why not arbitration?

Update:

Show your support either for or against binding arbitration on facebook!

For those against arbitration visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=84881478061

For those in support of arbitration, visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=98147961962

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I can’t take it anymore.  I’m ready to chomp down on glass and wash it down with rubbing alcohol. 

I’ve remained silent on the current CUPE strike because, to be honest, I have no idea what all the issues are really about.

After observing the actions (and words) of the Mayor and City Council for a number of years; I take what the Mayor has to say about the current CUPE strike with a grain of salt.

But I’ve had it.  This is not the city I chose to call home 8 years ago.

This is not to say the issue of unfunded liabilities is not a major concern – it is. 

When I campaigned during the 2006 Federal election I had unsuccessfully attempted to draw attention to the issue of unfunded liabilities at the federal level.  It’s debt, service cuts or higher taxes waiting to happen.

But rather than have a discussion about the issues;  we are treated with sensational news items in the Windsor Star regarding the alleged actions “believed” to be undertaken by striking CUPE.

I will agree – disrupting council proceedings and picketing elected officials homes is not acceptable in my books.

But that hasn’t stopped “security” at city hall from removing individuals from council (remember the chicken suit?) or banning citizens outright from city hall property (those yellow fishes); or removing a lone protester last year from the city’s birthday celebrations (interesting how that didn’t make the Windsor Star). 

However, I suppose it is easier to pick on a single individual or much more “dramatic” to piss off delegations by shutting down a council meeting rather than removing the disruptive parties. 

However, the Mayor and council could end this strike today if they so choose.

I take you to the City of Toronto Labour Disputes Resolution Act 2002.

Under this Act,  the mediator-arbitrator is required to take into consideration all factors that he considers relevant, including:

• The city’s ability to pay in light of its fiscal situation;
• The extent to which services may have to be reduced if current taxation levels are not increased;
• The economic situation in Ontario and the City of Toronto;
• A comparison between the employees and other comparable employees in both the private and public sectors of the nature of work and the terms and conditions of employment; and
• The city’s ability to attract and retain qualified employees.
• The city and union will still be able to negotiate their own agreement during this 60-day period. If they should reach an agreement, they are required to inform the mediator-arbitrator and the arbitration process will automatically cease. 

Arbitration in that case lasted nearly 3 months.

The Mayor’s response to this suggestion was most curious:

“It is my opinion not to leave this in the hands of a third party that’s 400 or 500 kilometres away,” Francis said Saturday night. “It is the responsibility of the parties to reach an agreement. The city of Windsor is prepared to sit down and reach an agreement.”

If the city’s financial position is so dire (as councillor Halberstadt pointed out on his blog); then I would think this would stand up to the scrutiny of an arbitrator because clearly both sides are incapable of coming to an agreement. 

As well, the Mayor is a lawyer, so he could represent the city’s position very well, I would think.

Heck – we can spend millions on Greenlink or fighting the Ambassador Bridge; or negotiating tunnel deals that have gone nowhere; or proposing legacy projects with unknown costs; or building $70-million arenas; or subsidizing private enterprise in the Canderel with below market rate leases; or granting senior management 15% pay increases - and the list goes on – but our Mayor and council fear arbitration?

Why? 

The Mayor’s rationale was a weak excuse that could only prolong this strike adding further strain to our already battered local economy.

Both sides in this dispute have a responsibility and as the case in any debate – there are always two sides to a story with the truth somewhere in the middle.

Chris Vander Doelen writes in his column:

The only way out is a face-saving solution that doesn’t provoke Windsor voters any further. The taxpayers of this city can’t be underestimated any longer.

The face-saving solution, in my opinion is arbitration. 

Get the strikers back to work and haggle over the details of the contract with an arbitrator.

Strikers are prepared to accept this, why won’t the Mayor and council?

Residents to cut grass:  But no warning from the city

Just two days ago in the Windsor Star, it was reported wire fencing had been found strewn about Willistead Park:

Residents who live near the park say they’ve been finding metre-long pieces of wire in the grass over the past week.

“They’re perfect to get wrapped up in your lawn mower or hurt your knee or cut up your dog’s paws,” said Kevin Brasier, 22, who found some wire in the park on Monday.

Zoe Kolonelos, 15, said she picked up about 20 pieces last Thursday and seven Sunday.

“It’s really dangerous,” she said. “You can’t see them hidden in the grass and weeds.”

But in today’s Star we read that a group of residents will be heading out to cut the grass at city parks – with no words of warning on the part of the city – save for Don Sadler who was more concerned with “conflict”:

Sadler said. “I would not want private citizens to put themselves in a situations where there might be conflict,” he said.

Forget the conflict, residents could be impaled with those hidden pieces of wire fencing, which could leave the city liable – especially if they do not take action to officially warn residents of the danger.

What the Star didn’t show

I’ve read the stories of “alleged” activities of individuals “believed” to be striking CUPE workers, but what are some of the strikers facing on the picket line?

A video sent to me by a reader shows a picketer being assaulted by an older woman who apparently did not appreciate being held up by CUPE.

As a I wrote earlier, there are always two sides to a story – except in this case it is very clear a CUPE worker is being assaulted by a resident nearly two weeks ago.

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