Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Sunday, February 05, 2012

CUPE hopeful late-hour talks will avoid Toronto labour disruption

Union officials remained hopeful Saturday night that a new collective agreement for 6,000 city workers could be reached through negotiations.

If not, Mayor Rob Ford’s administration said it would impose new terms and conditions that would essentially force the outside workers to accept the city’s offer or go on strike.

Contract negotiations were extended from the 12:01 deadline until 2 a.m., said CUPE spokesman Cim Nunn.

“We're not done yet. There's still work to be done,” said Nunn, looking weary as he spoke briefly to reporters at the Sheraton hotel, where talks have been held all day.

Talks extended well past this 2 a.m. deadline into Sunday morning.

“At the request of the mediator, the city will continue its efforts to bargain a new collective agreement,’’ read a city statement.

“It’s a very hopeful sign that they’ve been in the room together with the employer for most of the day,” said Nunn. “They have been actively bargaining.”

Speaking several hours before the final deadline, Deputy Mayor Doug Holyday said it’s possible talks could continue past midnight if it’s clear a deal is in sight.

If not, employees will be at work on Sunday — under the city’s conditions.

“They’ll come to work as normal and they’ll soon find out that really there’s nothing unfair about what we’re doing,” said Holyday.

“They’ll all be required to do their same work and it will just be in a more efficient way.”

Included in the city’s proposed terms are: increased pay over four years; removing job security for workers with less than 22 years’ seniority; removing of union consent for shift changes; reduced sick pay, optical and dental benefits, and the city no longer collecting dues for the union.

Affected workers include trash collection, snow removal, drivers of ice-resurfacing machines, gardeners, animal control officers and road maintenance.

Despite the city’s hardline stance, Nunn would not comment on the possibility of a strike and would only say the union is focusing solely on Saturday’s talks.

A strike vote has not been called by the union.

“We’ve made a number of concessions in the course of this round of bargaining,” said Nunn.

“It’s really only today that the city has come to the table and really fully engaged us in attempting to reach a settlement. And frankly that’s great news.”

The city’s ultimatum, considered extremely unusual in the public sector, is part of a “new reality” in labour relations, one that mimics what’s happening in private business, said Eric Tucker, labour and employment law professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School.

“It is the employers who are clawing back, who are negotiating, who are forcing cutbacks,” said Tucker.

“What the city is in a sense saying is that we have to impose this new reality on public sector unions. And if we can do it in Toronto that will send a signal to everyone else that a new age has arrived.”

Original Article
Source: Star 
Author: Laura Stone 

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