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TTC mourns death of ‘napping’ employee

Prometheus The Supremo

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i guess you can say that the people truly asleep on the job were the ones quick to pass judgment:

TTC mourns death of ‘napping’ employee

November 27, 2010

Hayley Kelman

The TTC employee who sparked outrage and ridicule when photographed sleeping on the job in January has died.

George Robitaille made headlines when pictures taken by Jason Wieler as he passed through the McCowan LRT station on Jan. 9, went viral on the Internet.

The photo quickly became a target for angry and frustrated TTC riders. The picture also entered the blogosphere, a joke amongst bloggers who photo-shopped the “TTC Sleeper†next to images of Humphrey Bogart and Homer Simpson.

At the time Robitaille stepped up, publicly apologizing not only to his co-workers but to the public.

He later divulged to the Star that he had health concerns that could explain why he fell asleep.

Soon after the incident Robitaille took a medical leave.

“He was very disheartened by the entire incident,†says Bob Kinnear, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union, 113. “It really bothered him that he had worked for 29 years with a flawless record, and had now brought these negative aspersions over the rest of the TTC employees.

“As many times as I tried to reassure him, no matter how often I tried, he took it very personally. At the TTC we’re a family, we work long shifts, we spend more time with co-workers than we do at home sometimes.â€

Despite the public outcry and ridicule Robitaille suffered, he is today being remembered as a man who in his 30 years with the TTC was regarded as a compassionate and caring employee.

“He had worked for Wheel-Trans,†which provides accessible transit service for people with disabilities, said Brad Ross, TTC director of corporate communications, adding “he was always commended for his good humour, and that’s how we at the TTC plan to remember him.â€

In 1995, Robitaille was proclaimed a hero after saving a disabled man’s life after finding the man at home collapsed on the floor.

Brian Mitchell, who has a rare lung disease and muscle disorder was barely conscious. He later said he would have died had it not been for Robitaille.

When asked about the cat-nap incident, Ross waved it off saying “I think that’s old news. I don’t think it does any justice to his career at the TTC, nor remembering his life and it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to comment on.

“It happened, it was dealt with we’ve moved on,†said Ross. “We certainly aren’t going to rekindle events of last winterâ€

Robitaille died Saturday after reportedly suffering a stroke.


source: http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/897922--ttc-mourns-death-of-napping-employee?bn=1
 
Agree with you Coruscanti C., I read a lot of people outraged that this TTC employee was napping on the job. He obviously had health issues and I am sorry he had to hear all the negative and judgemental comments directed toward him. Like the Star had reported George Robitaille had 30 years of flawless employment record before his health took a turn for the worse. I hope the people that condemmed him and the TTC union, which rightly defended Mr. Robitaille, never have major health issues themselves.
 
They probably weren't outraged at him so much as opposed to what the image symbolically represents about the TTC.
 
So in revenge for their feelings about TTC they took it out on a sick man, creating the kind of stress and guilt in his life that could well have hastened his death?

Perhaps the photographer should be arrested and charged with assault.
 
It is very sad situation. i think from the public's perspective the TTC should eliminate the collector position by speeding up the adoption of Presto.
 
There would still be station attendants in most stations ... who I'd think would be even more likely to fall asleep with less customer interaction.

How does that anything? And how does that fix the inhumanity of self-centred GenerationWhine folks who contributed to this man's misery and death?
 
Although unfortunate, the situation was botched on both sides.

The picture taken was not directed towards an ailing individual but a damaged system. And as they say, once the genie is out of the bottle...

My wife's and I sympathies go out to his family.
 
Today I asked someone who happens to work at collector booths and suggested that there were rumours of drug use in addition to having a heart stent put in.
 
the moral of the story is things aren't always as they appear. facts (observations) are useless without a theory (explanation).
 
Sorry. Don't feel bad at all.

Why was he on the job in the first place if his health was that bad?

Rider was frustration was against the TTC, not him. He was just emblematic of the problems the TTC has, for most riders.

I see nothing to feel bad about.

If Rob Ford keels over tomorrow is nfitz going to throw him a pity parade?

He lived. He fell asleep on the job. There was a photo of him. He died. Let him rest in peace. No more. No less.
 
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So in revenge for their feelings about TTC they took it out on a sick man, creating the kind of stress and guilt in his life that could well have hastened his death?

Perhaps the photographer should be arrested and charged with assault.

Is this post 4 real? Other people are responsible for this man's death? Wow...
 
Is this post 4 real? Other people are responsible for this man's death? Wow...
It's absolutely for real.

Given the guy died of a stroke, and according to reports was very stressed by the whole situation, it's hard to believe that there was no contribution from the incident to his stress levels.

The guy was clearly ill; instead of those who encountered him they secretly photographed him and published the photographs; without even bothering to check to see if he was okay.

The media then proceeded to make fun of him, even after it was revealed the guy had serious health issues.

I'm shocked at how depraved individuals can make fun of a sick man.

It's the kind of "me first" attitude we've seen from more and more people in recent years.

Hopefully Jason Wieler feels like some remorse from his shameful actions.
 
If he had health issues, he should be taking a leave. I think the public wasn't upset at him so much as for the system it self.

Let me tell a story. Last week I was taking a bus. It was late. There was suppose to be a bus every half hour but it turned into 40 minutes. A young man was cursing and ended up taking an alternate bus. While on the bus, there was some sort of argument between another young man and a bus driver. I don't know exactly what the argument was but the driver suddenly stopped the bus and opened the door. Telling the person to get off. But then started driving again with the door open and telling the guy to get off. So he jumped off a moving bus... As a driver, he/she is responsible for all the passengers on the bus no matter what the issue is. Letting a person jump off a moving vehicle is dangerous.

As for cards for public transit. You are right, there are people around still monitoring. There's customer service at every stop to provide users service such as adding money to cards, fixing card problems, answering questions for directions, etc. Then there are others monitoring the automated trains and making sure people tap in and not sneak in. There's still some interaction but it depends on the position. Some may be monitoring trains and people.
 
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