TTC STRIKE TORONTO (www.rameshkukathas.sampasite.com)

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TTC strikes as deal falls apart

A hopeful transit user waits for the Queen streetcar at 12:01 a.m., April 26, 2008.
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Video: Toronto commuters stranded
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Press Release: Transit Union Calls Strike
Map: GO Transit routes and parking
Video: Strike deadline set
Strike would hit neediest the hardest
Hospitals, hotel try to ease commute
TTC union promises 48 hours' strike notice
Union leader mellows as style matures
'Boy wonder' energizes the TTC
Liberal government scrambling to introduce back-to-work legislation to end strike by Monday morning
Apr 26, 2008 01:55 AM
Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter

TTC workers, who walked off the job at midnight, could be back to work by Monday if Premier Dalton McGuinty can recall the legislature on Sunday and pass back-to-work legislation -- a move requested late last night by Toronto Mayor David Miller.

Calling Friday night's unexpected strike by the 9,000 transit workers "unacceptable and irresponsible," a visibly angry Miller said he had asked union president Bob Kinnear to stick to an earlier commitment and provide the city with 48 hours notice of a strike, but Kinnear refused.

The TTC drivers, maintenance workers and mechanics walked off the job after 65 per cent of the union refused to ratify a contract settlement reached with the transit authority last Sunday.

"The Toronto Transit commission made every commitment in good faith to negotiate a fair agreement. The members of the union did not accept it. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 has chosen to go on strike without 48 hours notice. That's put the city in a very difficult position. As a result I've requested back to work legislation," Miller told reporters.

The Ministry of Labour has ordered both sides back to the table today at 1 p.m. and TTC chair Adam Giambrone said the agency's negotiating team will be there.

"This is incredibly unbelievable. There was a fair offer that was recommended by the union," said TTC chair Giambrone, who was heading back to the transit agency's Davisville headquarters after midnight to continue working on an orderly shutdown of the system's operations.

Meanwhile, the Liberal government is scrambling to have the back-to-work legislation introduced tomorrow with a rare Sunday sitting in the Legislature, sources told the Star early this morning.

Government House Leader Michael Bryant has been advising Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats that an order in council will be passed today, clearing the way for tomorrow's session.

A draft of the bill should be available today to give MPPs in all three parties time to vet it.

The Sunday passage of the law would guarantee that Monday morning commuters will not be inconvenienced.

A statement from the TTC late Friday night, said the settlement included a 3 per cent raise in each year of the three-year agreement; $300 every two years for vision care; $2,500 for dental care; up to $4,000 for orthodontic; $1,000 for physiotherapy and chiropractic care and $2,550 (maximum) for long term disability.

The TTC also agreed to top-up workers' compensation benefits to 100 per cent of take-home pay. The TTC pension, was to have been addressed during the 2010 and 2011 TTC operating budget.

The agreement also contained a controversial GTA clause that would have guaranteed TTC drivers 5 cents an hour more than the highest paid operators in the region.

-- With files from Robert Benzie and Prithi Yelaja

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[rameshkukathas]

i know and they get paid so much its not even funny. you study so much in uni or college and pay so much but end up with a job getting paid less than ttc ..

[rameshkukathas]

they did but as much as i know service is back up tonight ...but before tomorrow

[chizzy555]

they drive a bus around in circles all day, they should barely get more than minimum wage, anything more is just silly, and to compare themselves to cops, fire fighters, etc who have incredibly stressful jobs where they are constantly in danger and constantly dying and getting injured is insulting and disgusting.

[qwandiddy]

I'm surprise that this isn't happening in Chicago (CTA) yet since CTA has been having budget problems for years, cutting alot of services this past Feb 2010.

[ttcsubway209]

Maybe it would be best for the passengers to be stranded in a station instead of in the middle of nowhere (well, not nowhere, but in an unfamiliar area which might have alot of crime or something)

[jamesfreedom123]

they get paid to stand there all day to push on the gas for the tracks and they don't even have to turn the thing the tracks do the work, like its a pretty good job already.

[flagship21]

What an outdated system

[TORHAB]

agreed.

[AlexRampaul]

This is redicolous why is that streetcar going out of service 30 minutes before the TTC strike action? It should go out of service at 12:00 a.m. at the same time when the TTC strike action begins.

[greekguy1326]

Great video!

[YesMrRight]

Toronto Mayor David Miller should declare TTC Toronto as "essential service". (classified under "essential service", TTC Toronto will not be able to strike again.)

If he is not going to do it.

Vote him out on next election.

Please support this call and post them here on youtube.

[YesMrRight]

Millions of TTC Toronto were affected on Sat & Sun strike.

TTC Union leaders and workers are happy now. Because they have just made the city paralized. Because they have just made millions of riders unhappy and caused inconveniences to millions of riders.

Mosquitoes are nuisances. Mosquitoes suck blood. You hate mosquitoes, yet you cannot get rid of them.

Please write your thesis or dissertation on "TTC Union workers and Mosquitoes".

Post them here.