Viewer Vitriol: More Of Your Strike Email

Few things like the CUPE strike have ever led to so much angry email to CityNews. Your letters started arriving even before the walkout was officially called.

They haven’t stopped since.

Some support the union’s move. Most seem opposed, sometimes furiously so.

And in one unusual case, a few were so incensed at a viewer letter included in an article we published on Monday that they felt they had to respond.

Here’s the latest random sampling of your feelings about this ongoing labour mess, which is leaving one on the streets and parks of Toronto. You can weigh in anytime at news@citynews.ca.

We begin with a reprint of an email from a viewer named “S.O.” who tried to explain the union’s side and the responses from others who took exception to those pronouncements.

“I can appreciate why the public would be upset about the strike – especially when they are only hearing part of the story. You have been reporting about the 18 days sick time that city employees currently get – and if I was in the general public I would be upset too – except what you’re not telling people is that city employees have NO short term disability. Most other companies do. 

 “I have been with the city over nine years now. Two years ago I badly broke my ankle and if I had not had those sick days banked I would not have been paid at all during the time I was off.

“As it was, I was forced back to work before my doctor gave me approval to because my sick time ran out. So please – if you’re going to ask the public their opinion on our sick time – give them all the facts.”
S.O.

“I really need someone to explain to me why 0.8% of the city’s population gets to take the rest of hostage simply because they’re not getting what they want. This is how a petulant child behaves. I began to abhor CUPE a long time ago.  I don’t know why this union is granted so much power and have been for so long. My only conclusion is that they can squeal louder than a greased pig at the county fair.  Do you have feelings of entitlement?  Become a member of CUPE.  You’ll fit right in.”
JS

“I guess no one told “S.O.” that it’s not uncommon for UI to take care of Short Term disability and if necessary, your company benefits policy takes care of long term. Huh. So they want to bank their 18 sick days? There are a lot of people who work in this city who would be very thankful for half that many days of sick leave – banked or not.

“Get real people.”
Wendy W.

“Well, I have to say, strike after strike after strike. These unions certainly aren’t endearing themselves to the general public who have to work and don’t have the luxury of striking if things don’t go their way.

“It seems like they love to tell everyone how they need to “negotiate” with the city, yet if things don’t go exactly as they demand, they strike. What kind of negotiation process is that? If I had my way, garbage collection would be contracted out or privatized. So many other cities use this method and there is never an issue with strikes…

“In fact, the City stands to save money by using this process since opening up the collection services to competition bids will result in lower fees for the service. That, and the City won’t have to shell out our cash for all of these ridiculous benefits such as 18 sick days per year – something I don’t even get. And I work in a hospital!”
William Q.

“I, like many others, rely on City run programs (in my case, day camps) for my disabled son to be well cared for and busy while I go to work so I can pay my taxes. Without the programs, parents such as myself can be in serious difficulty.

“Where are our children supposed to go?”
PR

“Back in 2006, Citynews.ca reported on the City Councillors’ Pay Hike of 7%.  I think people are forgetting that those who are striking – are working-class citizens, just like everybody else, trying to fight for what was promised to them in their Collective Agreement.  It was a promise that the City now wants to renege on. 

“Anybody in the private sector would balk if THEIR contract was signed by their boss and then afterwards, picked through to make that boss’s job easier.  If they want to cut something – why not that “narrowly passed” pay increase they awarded themselves back in ’06?”
Tanya W.

“No sympathy for these workers at all. Shame on them. No short term disability? Eighteen sick days? Welcome to the real world. They need a reality check … What a slap in the face to the public.”
Tessa A.

“Of course they let the nurses and doctors know what was coming in so they could protect themselves, something the real frontline workers did not have the advantage of. When a paramedic gets spit on by an HIV victim or comes in contact with a contagious person and get sick they do not get short term sick leave. They use their sick days as the only way to not spread sickness without getting workplace harassment.

“As well, the city is trying to take away their seniority rights. I am sure anyone working anywhere does not want his job taken over by a new graduate because they are fresh out of school. Do people really want all new graduates for paramedics or a combination of new and experienced ones? Is it really fair that people with 25 years experience have no advantage over new hires in any job?

“Before anyone voices negative opinions about any of the city workers they should try doing the 12 hour plus shifts the paramedics and others are doing, they should try doing these shifts without a guaranteed lunch break or a definite end time.

“People with 9-5 jobs should be thankful they can leave at the end of the day, and not do up to 3 hours end of shift time, because they are in an emergency situation and cannot leave until it is finished. Also they are then still expected to put in their 12 hours the next day.

“So please do not throw insults around because maybe you are inconvenienced until you walk in their shoes. They do not tell you how to do your jobs!”
Mandy H.

“Now let’s get to the “demands.” No average person working in the private sector has the type of benefits that they have. We have no pensions/sick time/accumulated sick time/ etc.  If we don’t work, we don’t get paid. Period. 

“Let’s chat about city workers. These employees are paid from the public purse. My tax dollars continue to be taken yet I am not receiving the full benefit of my money. Where’s the customer service that we pay handsomely for? What is our recourse?  They SHOULD NOT have any right to strike.”
Michael D.

“For the union to strike because they can’t roll over their 18 sick days to the next year, only makes me think that once again someone wants something for nothing in this city.  Just like David Miller!”
Lynda

“The government is very selfish, they only think of themselves. We pay our taxes, everybody know that daycare is a necessity for those of us that have children. We talk about how we want tourists to come to Canada, but yet we are having another garbage strike, so that our country will be stinky and nasty. I really don’t understand this system, we are so backwards. Give the people what they deserve. ”
M.T.K

“The city workers as such earn more than an average job. A request for more sick days is sickening. Do these people realize how many people are unemployed? Do these CUPE members know that half the people in GTA are ready to jump at the opportunity to work given even half the pay that they are getting? Forget the sick days. I work as an employment counsellor and the number of people I see everyday is huge.

“In case a CUPE member suffers injury, you can claim EI Sick Benefits- which comes off your own EI that you submit every paycheque. There is no requirement for 18 SICK Days!

“…Value your job people. It is recession time!”
Tanya M.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but the perception is, city workers are better paid, on average, than the same categories of workers in private sector. And have much better benefits, too.

“They don’t care about the hard economic conditions; they don’t care about thousands of people who work much harder than they do, and get much less.

“I think unions in government organizations have outlived any reasonable timelines and, frankly, have become parasitic. Unions were supposed to protect workers from wild capitalism, not from the government.  Therefore, as a truly radical solution, I would suggest abolishing trade unions in government organizations in the entire country.

“As a quick fix, declare garbage removal essential service for the city, so that they couldn’t go on strike. Or, just fire them all and subcontract that to private companies.”
Alex K.

“I’m in sales … If I don’t sell, I don’t eat. I’d be happy to do their job at the current pay and sick days for the amount of money they get. My friend is a garbage man, and as soon as his route done he gets to go home. He hasn’t worked an 8 hour day since he started. I work 60 hours a week just to keep a roof over my head, and these people are whining about having a job in which they don’t even need to work 40 hours a week? Give me a break. I would take their job in a heart beat! That’s pretty sad, cause I have a degree in business.”
Ryan H.

“I am thankful I have a job. It does not have a pension plan nor do I get any benefits, but I am still grateful. Union members should take a reality check and be thankful they are working …  Toronto went through this in 2002 and it was disgusting.  Nobody should ever be allowed to hold others hostage.  It is undemocratic to say the least.  Put a stop to this now!”
Janie L.

“The GTA property taxes are anywhere from $4,000 – $5,000 dollars.  Not the little $1,600 – $2,200 Torontonians pay. 
 
“So Mayor Miller you said it yourself. “Welfare Costs are up”.  Here goes. Raise taxes to the GTA average, stop paying those who don’t work, and pay those that do!!

“As a paramedic I have been yelled at while working that “I should be ashamed of myself!”  I don’t know for what???  I know. It has got to be ashamed of myself for risking my LIFE driving through red lights and through traffic to get to your house, then walking into your diseased personal space to help you. Then taking your illness home to my wife and kids. Only to be ashamed to use sick time that you paid for, so I could recover from what YOU gave me???”
Derek, Frustrated EMS Paramedic

“They are damn lucky to have a job. I am not working. Give me their job if they are not happy. Someone needs to go in and rid this city of unions. Unions are always holding the city hostage. And our Mayor needs to decide is he for the people or for the unions.”
Frances H.

“I think going on strike during these hard economic times, the City of Toronto employees should realize that the people of Toronto who are already frustrated because of job losses, gas prices and taxes will have no empathy for them. I am sure there are many city employees that have partners that are out of work because of layoffs are in need of the income. I think a strike at this time will do no good to anyone but people will be angry, rather than have any sympathy for the employee.”
Sarah M.

“In the current scenario (swine flu and global recession) the strike should be stopped immediately with back to work legislation. The union is making a mockery of itself with this strike. If they don’t want to work with present salary, they can quit. There are many qualified Canadians ready to work with the current benefits and salary.”
PR

“Do they realize the impact that they are having on the economy??? What about all of these parents out there who do not have sick days or have used up their sick days – what are they going to do with their children? This is all ridiculous. Wow, all I know is that there is one person right here who would love to have their position without any of their benefits.”
Misty V.

“This is absolutely pathetic. You people should be happy that you have jobs. To hold the city ransom like this is inexcusable. Over the last number of years city property taxes have done nothing but increase. I now have to pay additional taxes for garbage collection. 

“Both my wife and I work, we have two small children enrolled in summer camps with the municipality. If this strike continues beyond this week who is going to cover our lost wages so that we can stay home and look after our children? Am I going to receive a refund from the city with interest? Every taxpayer in this city should be receiving refunds with interest on our lost services that we are forced to pay for.

“I’m getting sick and tired of unions holding this city hostage. You picket and want our support, yet how in the world do you expect to get support when all you do is inconvenience the community? Fire the lot of them and outsource the jobs to the private sector.”
George L.

And finally an email from a viewer so fed up, he’s taking what some might see as drastic measures.

“Utterly ridiculous that this happens once again … I am so thankful that I have sold my house … and will be moving outside of the City of Toronto later this year. As the public we can talk but will never be heard. I’m so fed up that I’ve just decided to move my family outside of this city.”
S.S.L.