It sounds a lot like déjà vu: Montreal risks being “crippled” again by a transit strike.
The STM union representing bus and metro drivers and ticket-takers voted 97% in favour of a strike mandate today. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll strike, but it does mean the union can call one at any time. Negotiations broke off last month after a long stalemate at the bargaining table.
To be clear, this is a different union than the maintenance workers’ union that went on strike in May. Those workers agreed to return to work (after a pretty serious public backlash) but reserved the right to go back on strike. They have not yet agreed to a contract.
The only difference between the two: If this union goes on strike, you can blame the bus drivers for it.
UPDATE: The STM wants the union to stop pressure tactics that involve making managers do more work, such as bringing buses to the wrong garage or not locking up metros at night.
Right… I blame them all. They are supposed to be a team. Solidarity and that whole crap. But when it comes to avoiding backlash suddenly theres no more solidarity…. funny or is it ironic?
CAN and WILL blame the bus drivers…
Oh wait, I don’t ride the bus… nor do I still live in Montreal.
Ah, what the hell… just for old time’s sake and all those college days spent waiting for a bus that never came.
Given that about 90% of bus drivers and ticket agents I encounter treat me with contempt and scorn, I hereby pledge my support for about 10% of the employees. The other 90% of them can rot, as far as I’m concerned. $23.65+/hr to read a magazine while shoving my change through the window? You’ll talk on your cellphone, listen to Mix96, and roll through stop signs, but you want “d’augmentations salariales de 5% par année”? Given the maintenance workers’ strike last year and the shenanigans of ‘les cols bleus’, I’d suggest to the drivers that Montreal’s unequivocal support for union action is wearing thin, especially given the circumstances.
It’s disgusting that they keep doing this over and over. Then the prices keep going up, and for what? Insanely rude and judgemental drivers, bad service, late buses, buses that don’t show up, drivers that are so selfish they skip stops and leave them way earlier than they should? They need a reality check. They have it EASY. I’d love to see them in a HARD job with less pay or a minimum wage job where they have to take the buses themselves…. oh, wait, there won’t be ANY buses running soon! They’d probably cry. Big babies.
I think they deserve to be paid less, and have less benefits. We deserve a lot better service for what we pay each month. The whole situation is horrid. Can someone just destroy the Union, pleeeease? (wishful thinking…)
Yes Ember and lets privatize the STM while we’re at it. It’s true that the STM needs a swift kick in the ass when it comes to quality of service, but lets not get ahead of ourselves with the union busting.
I don’t care if a manager have to do the job.
One thing I see happening here more than anywhere else is unions bring city to its knees.
Be ware when electing me, I will disolve every union out there starting by STM
I remember the last guy who threaten to take on the Unions. He barely got one seat for his party. He lost official party status. When he came back he won on demagoguery and split the province on racial issues to get the tarded rural vote. Score 1 for Dumont. Good luck Rio. Good luck taking away people.s goodies.