Rob Ford's Toronto

[toto]

Anyone care to bet on how long it takes for Doug to start showing up at meetings where Rob was supposed to be, and proceeding as if nothing's happened?

This morning.

 

[toto]

I wonder what Doug's attendance record is going to be like. Hopefully better than Rob's. Maybe if they work it out right, Doug can go to Council meetings so Rob doesn't miss any football games.

Hopefully, Doug will be able to read his notes with more clarity than Rob.

 

[Eug]

Heh. Bob and Doug, eh?

 

[PinkLucy]

Ha! Hadn't made that connection.

 

[W. K. Lis]

My guess is the chance is low, but even if he does, he'll get a free pass because Doug F is donating his salary to charity.

Something like having one of the Bill Gates kids in the cubicle next to you at work. Something to do.

 

[The_Waffler]

Doug still plans to run the business. Apparently running a city the size of Toronto can be a part-time job.

I don't know about that, but the last administration did it with their heads up their butts.

 

[nfitz]

They won't be able to. Etobicoke's contract only lets firms with a 3 year labour agreement apply. The contact only lasts 3 years. So, if they wish to apply, the labour agreement has to be settled already. If they'd like to re-apply, they have to get another 3 year agreement put together, or it will be given out to a shop that can get one (I would imagine old Toronto would do something similar). Ta-da, no more strikes.

So it has to go to companies that are already unionized, or at least have some kind of employee negotiating unit.

 

[allabootmatt]

(Rob) Ford on Sun TV: ``We're not going to rip out anything,'' but wants to ``on the lines where it's just the tracks, like Dundas and King and Queen, eventually replace streetcars with hybrid buses to get traffic flowing.'' Says St Clair and Spadina to stay in any case.

http://videos.torontosun.com/video/f...e/650998113001

 

[archanfel]

So it has to go to companies that are already unionized, or at least have some kind of employee negotiating unit.

There's nothing wrong with unions. Unions keep labour disputes in check and that's good for both the workers and the employers. What we need to guard against is a single union monopolize the labour market just like a single company shouldn't monopolize the entire market.

 

[nfitz]

There's nothing wrong with unions. Unions keep labour disputes in check and that's good for both the workers and the employers. What we need to guard against is a single union monopolize the labour market just like a single company shouldn't monopolize the entire market.

Agreed - just trying to understand how contracting out would avoid any strikes. And the answer seems to be that the current garbage contract is only tendered to unionized or similar companies. Yet this seems to contradict some earlier comments about contracting out garbage to get rid of unions.

 

[Gavin]

(Rob) Ford on Sun TV: ``We're not going to rip out anything,'' but wants to ``on the lines where it's just the tracks, like Dundas and King and Queen, eventually replace streetcars with hybrid buses to get traffic flowing.'' Says St Clair and Spadina to stay in any case.

http://videos.torontosun.com/video/f...e/650998113001

I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait to take the Queen St bus to work...

 

[Filip]

I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait to take the Queen St bus to work...

I don't know about you, but I can't wait not to walk faster than the damn streetcar.

So many times I get off the streetcar because it's not even moving and I get downtown faster than it.

 

[archanfel]

Agreed - just trying to understand how contracting out would avoid any strikes. And the answer seems to be that the current garbage contract is only tendered to unionized or similar companies. Yet this seems to contradict some earlier comments about contracting out garbage to get rid of unions.

The goal is not to get rid of unions, the goal is to avoid union monopoly. For example, if the union's demand is too outrageous, the city can always pick a different company next time, hopefully dealing with a different union. Of course, with that option available, the union's demands would likely be more reasonable. Also, even if one company run into labour issue, another company can always be called in to at least minimize the impact.

 

[Gavin]

I don't know about you, but I can't wait not to walk faster than the damn streetcar.

So many times I get off the streetcar because it's not even moving and I get downtown faster than it.

So then one of two things happens:

1. Those streetcars are replaced with the 2.5 busses needed to move the same number of people, compounding the congestion; or,
2. Those streetcars are replaced with one bus, causing long lines at every stop while you wait for a bus with any vacant space.

Which would you prefer?

 

[Filip]

So then one of two things happens:

1. Those streetcars are replaced with the 2.5 busses needed to move the same number of people, compounding the congestion; or,
2. Those streetcars are replaced with one bus, causing long lines at every stop while you wait for a bus with any vacant space.

Which would you prefer?

A subway.. but that'll never happen since nobody seems to know how to build a transit system in this country.