The TTC is operated normally this morning. The threatened strike by Local 113 of the Toronto Transit commission was averted, not because the union participated in honest negotiations with a sincere desire not to strike and cripple the city, but because as stated by Bob Kinnear, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, NO concessions were made. What kind of negotiation involves no concessions? The answer is strong arm bully tactics and the knowledge that the city could not afford to literally strand 700,000 hard working Torontonians who depend on the TTC.

The union, representing 8,900 TTC workers, negotiated a 3-year deal that includes 3% salary increases each year, and improvements in life insurance and dental coverage. They will now be the highest paid transit operators in the GTA. Incredibly there is actually a clause in the agreement that if workers another transit operator earns more money at the same position, then the TTC workers will get an automatic pay raise. Have you ever heard of such idiocy!

Toronto’s world traveling Mayor, David Miller, was happy about the deal and praised the negotiators. Is he completely mad? There was no negotiation. The union got everything that they wanted. Why isn’t David Miller setting the wheels in motion to declare the TTC an essential service and as such remove their right to strike? Dalton McGuinty publicly stated that he would support such action. When is this madness going to stop? The unions are in complete control of the city and David Miller seems to be oblivious to it all. I don’t know about you, but I want a Mayor who is prepared to stand up for the people of Toronto, not spend taxpayers’ money on trips to China.

Let’s have the TTC declared an essential service – which they are in case no one noticed – and remove their right to strike once and for all!