16 days and counting... that’s how long the strike’s been going on in Toronto, ON.
A quick synopsis: approximately 24,000 city workers walked off the job in Toronto, on June 22nd. You can get a highlight of this strike and why it happened here.
So, why are we reading about this strike here on the Lemon Tree? Well, let me explain... This strike affects the people living in poverty in this city. It is horrible! Here is an article (from the Toronto Star) indicating some of the issues. And, we can see that Ontario’s fearless Premier doesn’t seem to be quick to want to fix issues! How ‘bout putting your money where your mouth is, Dalton?
The most disgusting fact I read here: a caseworker making $33/hr, whose responsibility – among others – is to help restructure the Ontario Works program and support his or her clients, is on strike for the permission to bank 18 sick days until retirement. Now, I am not in a position where I require the services of said caseworker, but I am pretty sure that this caseworker probably doesn’t quite understand the needs of the people he/she is trying to help! Sick... (Oh, wait – maybe you can use a sick day for that!)
To be fair: there are people who have been pushed into the strike because the jobs they got were unionized. And, many of these people (although the unions suggest it’s only a meagre 2% of their strikers) want to go back to work. Strike pay doesn’t cut it in a city like Toronto when you have kids and need to pay for food and shelter. These guys are going to cause their members to end up needing the caseworker!
What I mention above is just about the strike itself, and the impact on workers and people on social services. Now, don’t forget the homeless! It’s horrible enough to think of living a life without shelter or without knowing whether or not you’ll have food for dinner. How about living in a city where the garbage is piling up, and up, and up?
And, this isn’t only happening in Toronto! Windsor city workers have been on strike for 17 weeks. The people of Windsor are being battered left, right and centre. I am afraid to think of the conditions, the increased need for foodbanks and shelters.
Peeps: We are in the midst of an economic crisis. Governments, world-wide, are trying and trying to make this madness stop so people can have a normal life. A strike, in this climate, for these reasons – GET REAL! These actions are going to contribute to increased pressures on social services because so many people will fall short – including those on strike. Snap out of it!
(Please note: Chief Lemonhead is not angry with people who have a unionized job, because that is their job. Chief Lemonhead is angry with the UNIONS and they way they work. Unions probably go by: let’s hit ‘em while they’re down so they’ll have to give us what we want. Unions sound like schoolyard bullies to me!)
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