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June 29, 2009 at 7:06:58 PM
Luke
Enough NIMBism during this strike the garbage has to go somewhere or people will make every place a dumping ground. If the ministry of the enviroment that the liberals run did its homework and say that it is safe then take the issue to them and complain to your MPP.

June 29, 2009 at 7:09:45 PM
A disgusted citizen
Shame on you Mayor Miller! How does it make sense that you forced thousands of civic employees to walk off their jobs and lose pay due to the recession, yet you are talking about purchasing new street cars worth how many millions of dollars? And where is this money coming from? Day care, seniors' homes??!! $20,000.00 to hold a council meeting at another location so you don't have to face the picket lines??
I am very, very ashamed of you!!

June 29, 2009 at 7:24:10 PM
George
Miller should contracted all City servises to private contractors. Family members or good friends for a good bonus or piece of a pye.Democracy. We have cancelors that own multymillion dolars businesses I think they would like to sell oure City out.

June 29, 2009 at 7:26:33 PM
Joao
I don't know much about how this works but c'mon Mayor work this out, I am only 17 but I love the way Toronto is green and fun to be in the summer, and I miss the pool it is taking too long in my opinion this strike is worse than the strike from TTC it is time to put all this into an end

June 29, 2009 at 7:35:17 PM
Donna P.
This is pathetic. I cannot believe this has gone on this long. I am disgusted. I think the workers need to stop crying and realize how good they have it. If they do not want to work fire them and hire new people. There are a lot of people out there that would love to have these jobs. STOP THE CRYING. IF YOU DON’T LIVE THE JOB……..LEAVE!!!!!

June 29, 2009 at 7:57:39 PM
Gus
What people might not realize is that these temporary garbage sites are sprayed everyday for rat control. When it rains, where do you think all these chemicals are going to go. You got it. Into Lake Ontario through the sewage system and into the ground but it seems our Mayor is more concerned with streetcars than he is the environment. I think we need a new mayor that thinks before he acts.

June 29, 2009 at 8:09:17 PM
Rita Ferrari
This isn't NIMBY'ism. Friends of Christie Pits and all those protesting made it clear that they don't want ANY park to be used as a dump site. They also offered up viable alternatives to the city. Also, interesting to note how many BMWs and other luxury cars have been seen dumping at Christie. It's not that kind of neighbourhood. Hmmm...wonder if they could be coming from nearby Forest Hill and Rosedale to dump in a community/children's park rather than their own designated dump site. Perhaps the city should also start checking postal codes before allowing people to dump!

June 29, 2009 at 8:11:46 PM
Andrew
Does anyone know what the chemicals are they're using? Dealing with numerous raccoon problems on my own property I find that using straight ammonia, although not a pleasent smell, actually works. One would think that quite well against the vermin. ammonia would poison the environment but actually its beneficial for plant life as it acts like a nitrogen boost. The downside would be having to respray daily....

June 29, 2009 at 8:16:59 PM
GiveButCan'tTakeIt
Its funny how the people protesting are the same ones that voted in the current city government,including David "I don't care if there was an explosion, I'm celebrating my daughter's birthday" Miller. It looks great on all of you. Enjoy my garbage.

June 29, 2009 at 8:21:50 PM
no name
The Managers and the union members at the dump site I went to this morning were helpful and my delay was short. Things seem to be going very well.

June 29, 2009 at 8:40:43 PM
Alex
Mayor Miller, way to cancel Canada Day. You are no longer considered Canadian in my books.

You are a disgrace.

You should resign immediately.

June 29, 2009 at 9:01:58 PM
bobo
So I go down with my wife and two year old son to the western beaches in Toronto on Saturday afternoon, only to find that three of four carparks on our beautiful waterfront have been taken over by garbage dumps. So there was nowhere to park and we ended up having to park in St Josephs Hospital and walk. My son is 2 for god sake. He doesnt need to walk a mile to get to the water. What an inconveneince What an absolute disgrace!!!. It makes me annoyed that I chose to live in Toronto when I moved from the UK four years ago. To think I came here for a better life!! Tut tut!!! This city is embarassing right now. Miller, you should walk, your a disgrace to this city!!! Be gone with you.

June 29, 2009 at 9:03:15 PM
I. Jafri
I am a citizen of Toronto, and I am very ashamed that out Mayor David Miller dont care about thousand of employee thier families, and their kids are suffering because of our mayor, there is no daycare and no summer camps of special need kids, all kids are suffering, this is summer time all kids are on summer vacations, and parent are not able to provide any summer entertainment, because of you Mr Mayor, yet you are talking to buy new Street cars, and using private contractors to clean the Yong Steet & Church Street.
I am SORRY, SORRY that you are my Mayor.

June 29, 2009 at 9:28:42 PM
Morris
I was wondering about the people who are stopping other citizens from dumping their garbage in Christie pits. Where are you storing yours.
Have you seen the new trucks that pick up the garbage it's automatic so less work for more money?
If you want this strike to end give them what they want but remember don't complain about your taxes rising. If money grew on trees I would be a tree farmer.

June 29, 2009 at 9:43:40 PM
Sarah
This is the end of David Miller.

817 million dollars for streetcars, 2.4% raise for himself and the Councillors and 'Less than Zero' for the people who serve the City.

Shamefull! Utterly Shamefull!

June 29, 2009 at 9:51:06 PM
JACK from Downtown
What I don't understand is WHY people are creating so much garbage when they know a strike is happening. We are a family of 3 people who run a home business and make 3 meals a day at home and have not filled ONE bag since the strike is on. And for the fancy cars dumping garbage, they are not from Rosedale, they are the strking overpaid, underworked strinking city workers who are probably creating MORE garbage to make a point! It is not the mayor's fault, it is the greedy workers fault. Come on people, did you throw your brains and common sense in the garbage bags you are dumping?

June 30, 2009 at 10:37:09 PM
Cid
As an area resident I am very upset about the use of Christie Pits or any other park as a garbage dump. The last time this happened we had an infestation of mice and rats in this neighbourhood. There is no reason for this. There are other alternatives. What about going to the industrial areas of the city to dump? Better yet, if we have to dump somewhere our tax dollars are being put to use my vote is dumping it all at City Hall and at Queens Park. Perhaps if our illustrious Mayor and Premier had to walk around it and smell it every day as we do, things might actually start to happen. I guarantee that the people who think that the residents complain too much about this topic have homes far away from the dumping sites.

June 30, 2009 at 10:38:41 PM
Ryan
Great idea, lets stop residents from dumping garbage in a designated area. I guess I'll just burn it in my backyard.

Privatize like Etobicoke!!!!

June 30, 2009 at 10:41:46 PM
tmb
On friday when the street car spending was approved, I heard Miller on TV saying it was his proudest day as Mayor. How INSULTING! Mr. Mayor, your city is full of garbage, your 24K employees are on strike and thousands of parents face financial devastation because they have to stay home from work with their kids because there are no camps or daycares, just to name a few problems. I used to be a Miller fan(atic) but never again.

June 30, 2009 at 10:51:26 PM
John Andrews
The city can't afford to let workers cash in on sick days...and either can the Board of Education do the same for teachers.

June 30, 2009 at 10:57:04 PM
Beth
How come people are making so much garbage?
strike has not even been two weeks and garbage is only picked up everytwo weeks.

June 30, 2009 at 11:23:28 PM
Tomson
I knew that hockey rink served another purpose in the summer time. I wonder if Millers Pool has the same resemblance. For the people around Christie Pits get together as a community and hirer a private garbage company pickups. The area on Yonge and St Clair does not have this problem.

Bad Statement
"I am disgusted. I think the workers need to stop crying and realize how good they have it. If they do not want to work fire them and hire new people. There are a lot of people out there that would love to have these jobs." I seriously doubt anybody really enjoys working, as it makes slaves of us all. This is just a convenience that we are all use to, we are in a system we cant sustain ourselfs without relying on these services, and when these services stop our bad habbits continue and we have our end result a smelly Toronto

June 30, 2009 at 11:50:29 PM
Dave
All you people that worry about the city workers asking for to much should worry more about how OUR city is turning into a wasteland. Now with the new phase two and phase three dump sites which seem to hit all the parks in Toronto. Good luck Mayor Miller instead of wasting the unions time with garbage offers worry about how much it will cost to clean all these parks you have turned in to landfills when the strike is over. OVERTIME anyone $$$$$$...This is one big joke.
Can't wait for the children to go back and play in the parks laced with vermon controlling chemicals being washed thoughout the park with the rain. Yummy.

June 30, 2009 at 11:59:29 PM
Jay
Voting in Miller twice as Mayor has made him extremely arrogant and quite dishonest.God knows where he will get the money to fund the new TTC street cars.He cries about the economic crisis while announcing the planned purchase for the new TTC street cars which will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.This guy does not get it. He will probably be voted out and would join the liberal party as a new convert.Reminds me of Bob Rae.

June 30, 2009 at 11:59:46 PM
Seriously Fed up
I can't blame all of these protestors (area residents) for not wanting their residential park be a garbage dump. We Torontonians pay our taxes and I think we should get the service we deserve. We shouldn't have to line up 2 hours just to get rid of our grabages, argue and get into verbal/physical fight with protestors and/or grabage striker just to get rid of our garbages, but most importantly we shouldn't have to go through all of these because we don't deserve it. The city could easily get a court order and send these pests back to work but they choose not to because they want us to feel misery and that the only message they are trying to send is: you want better service? then more taxes for you people. Seriously, we're not stupid. Just tell us straight up that the city is BROKE and you guys need more money, that way we'll consider paying for more taxes.

June 30, 2009 at 12:53:27 AM
Mike
What a complete farce how the Corporation of the City, along with the media, can make taxpayers validate the dismantling of unionized workers rights.

So we have millions of frustrated taxpayers who are demanding things be done to get rid of the garbage, without thinking for a second about the repercussions.

If services are privatized, that hurts worker wages, benefits, and rights. And we should do this just to keep up some minute by minute "convenience" of citizens?

What about the loss of worker rights to corporate power and greed? Does anyone care about that? Does anyone care that city workers are loosing their RIGHTS?

Or should we just privatize all services and say screw em, my convenience is more important than upholding human/worker rights in a country like Canada?

Ridiculous! So many citizens wine at city workers that 'we get paid too much', 'if you dont like it, leave'..... excuse me? City worklers stand to loose rights that have been agreed on for decades, and you want us to just give up our basic needs for citizen convenience?

Can't we respect the power that a union has in maintaining human rights, to strike and demand fair play?

Or should we just privatize all services, cut out unions, and get a wack of lower payed workers with no benefits, rights or opportunities to replace unionized workers?

I agree that garbage does smell.... but can we take a look at the bigger picture, instead of let the media bait us into a fight?

The only people loosing here are taxpaying citizens and city workers. The City stands to save a million dollars a day during the strike, yet strikers are constantly demonized in the media as greedy and stubborn.

June 30, 2009 at 2:11:16 AM
Sean in North York
I am okay with the garbage dumping. It's not in my neighbourhood and I am also sure that if garbage was being dumped elsewhere, Christie Pitts people wouldn't complain at all. So get a life.

June 30, 2009 at 2:17:38 AM
jake
i am a government employee in a union. we have a STSP agrement (Short Term Sicknees Plan) that provides us 75% wages for up to 6 months with the option of topping off the 25% with a fration of a vaction day. we have agreded to a fair increase of 1.75% this year inceasing to 2% in the next. be fair folks, we are all in this together. If our Unions can agree why can't yours?

June 30, 2009 at 2:31:48 AM
Private Sector employee
ARE YOU PEOPLE NOT FORGETTING THE ISSUE HERE: This is not MAYOR MILLER’S Fault and good for him for not giving away our tax dollars (on this issue) yet again AND standing up to these municipal employees that choose to strike during a recession. Let’s look at the larger issue. Employees cashing in sick days and 18 of them. My company (private) recently cut back sick days from 6 to 3 as people were taking advantage of having six and these people want 18 carried over year over year! Municipal employees generally do not work hard and we all know this (have you ever gone to city hall and watched how slow most workers are to react to anything?). These employees should be offered an ultimatum. Come back to work or risk losing your job to someone who is willing to work. Let’s do the math:
1. fire all the garbage workers and outsource to the private sector as all other municipalities in the GTA do
2. For the remaining employees needed, we as a nation have almost a 10% unemployment rate and the reality with most municipal employees is that you can replace 3 to 5 of them with someone from the private sector and still be farther ahead.
3. Option 2 is to give them what they want and give them 18 sick days a year that accumulate and we pay buy them out in the end.

June 30, 2009 at 4:44:16 AM
L.S.
Do it like they've been doing it in Germany - incinerate the garbage and run it through biofilters, very minimal pollution that way... why are we piling all this stuff up in landfills?

June 30, 2009 at 6:19:21 AM
Mike
People need to join up and sue the city. Tax dollars are paying for all these services and for every day garbage is not picked up, there should be monetary re-reimbursements for every Toronto resident who sued.

June 30, 2009 at 7:08:09 AM
Jason
Garbage in the streets - disgusting, striking during a recession - even more disgusting! Be thankful you have a job - period!

June 30, 2009 at 7:45:15 AM
DJ
Well,it was bound to happen.If the city can't push around the unions,than why should they push the Toronto residents.The Mayor,Premier and the unions are to blame.I said before the strike and I'll say it again.These three oranizations are only interested in saving face.All three organizations knew this past winter exactly what was going to occur this summer.I'm sure that many members of the unions did not want this strike.In this demacratic country,how is that a non-political group is still in this day and age able to blackmail it's forced members to tow the line or get blackballed.Strong arm tactics from the unions just go to show,there is no honor in unions.In all truth there should be no unions for public employees.That's why cities around are once again laughing at Toronto.Other cities have come to realize that unions have no place in the city politics.Unions have had a big influence on this recession.Too bad eh.

June 30, 2009 at 7:56:05 AM
Ridiculous
@ d citizen

How did Miller force anyone to walk off the job? Last I checked the main issue was carrying over sick days to retirement??? To walk off the job over that? RU kidding me.....I do not know of any other employer that would put these rules in place. Mistake Miller made was letting pws do it in the first place. You pick up garbage for god sake, what talents/education does that job require????

June 30, 2009 at 8:05:50 AM
Mike, Toronto
What does it matter what kind of cars dump what kind of garbage? IT IS A DUMPING SITE, as announced by the city. WHY? Because our beloved garbage men decided that they would like to get paid for unused sick days. Sick days are a priveledge not a right...in private sector you get diddly for sick days. Not only do they get them, but they also want to carry them over to retirement? Are you honestly serious? As for the dumping site, these concerned citizens are only concerned that it stinks and not too appealing to look at it. If it was on the other end of the city, they would drive and they would dump, just like anyone else. I wonder where they dump their own garbage? It is an awesome summer to be a coon though :)

June 30, 2009 at 9:26:55 AM
James
Man, I swear CP24 just lets the mainly conservative posts through. I have posted several times on different threads and had my comments not show up. I wonder if this has anything to do with CTV running the website.

Only city run daycares are shut down. The vast majority of day cares and summer camps are privately run and are still in operation.

The city is going to use savings on other projects due to federal stimulus money to pay for $400 million of the streetcar cost. Should the city just scrap the streetcar project because of the strike? This would waste even more money after the many hours of planning and negotiating a contract with Bombardier.

I don't get why all of you people hate David Miller so much. He won the last election in a landslide. Do you want Mel "Boil me in a pot" Lastman back?? Miller, though not perfect, is doing his best to institute change for the better and if anything is slowing him down its all the whining and complaining from people who can't see the bigger picture.

June 30, 2009 at 9:47:52 AM
John D
to Rita Ferrari - You should aspire to have nicer things. Funny how it is always the lazy and disengenuine who complain about people with things - I drive a Mercedes Benz E500 - big V8 - and it is kinder to the environment than a Toyota Prius actually. Though the ignorance with which you exhibit on a regular basis I am sure wouldn't understand how that is... I may just come by there from Forest Hill and dump it on your unmanicured feet.

June 30, 2009 at 10:02:16 AM
J J from T.O.
This whole smelly issue lands right back on Mayor Miller's lap. Inept handling of public funds (i.e.Money to clean up Pride day;but no cash for Canada day?)Pay raises galore for himself & his cronies all on the backs of overtaxed Torontonians...Shame !
As for CUPE, the day of the labour union is over. Maybe back in the dustbowl/depression era; but they are now obsolete in today's economy.Disband & fire all these overpaid high school dropouts and while we're at it fire Mayor Miller! He has brought our once beautiful city to a new low. Shame !

June 30, 2009 at 10:08:28 AM
Angry Citizen
I think that these people at Christie Pits as well as everyone else who is fed up with this situation should organize a massive protest against both the city and the Union and put pressure on them to get this settled and get back to work.

Protesting out front of Christie Pits is great but protesting downtown where the Union is currently out front of City Hall on strike will garner a lot more attention.

June 30, 2009 at 10:21:44 AM
Sammy
if the guy living next door was a garageman I would leave ALL my waste on his lawn.

honestly, city workers = OVER PAID

ZERO sympathy from me. Fire them all , I'm sure there are PLENTY of people willing to take their jobs

June 30, 2009 at 10:29:59 AM
Al
This is what you voted for, majority of Torontonians. A union-sympathizing mayor. When all of us are struggling to hang onto our jobs, he and his friends the Liberals at Queens Park are being coerced into giving in to unions again. PRIVATIZATION!! Dump the unions and this bureacratic garbage with the rest of the trash that's building up.

June 30, 2009 at 10:47:06 AM
Ken
David Miller should be resign cause obviously he's not doing his job at all other than watching his own back. I can't believe he's not supporting Canada day what a shame. The only reason why Pride was a priorty is because he's getting something out of it. And garbage strike not doing anything about it making the city stink great job! are you not our mayor of the city? Get rid of him!

June 30, 2009 at 10:51:25 AM
Rick
I agree with Jason, "Garbage in the streets - disgusting, striking during a recession - even more disgusting! Be thankful you have a job - period!"

I wish I had 5 sick days a year, let alone 18! And the fact that any unionized employee can bank these days over the years at the expense of tax payers is just wrong. This union and the others should be stripped of their powers to do as they please when things don't go there way. I have no pity for them. Let's privatize like Etobicoke and be done with these cry babies.

While the rest of us are struggling to make ends meet, these guys are trying to defend the fact that if they've worked for 5 years and haven't used a single sick day they are now entitled to 90 days off paid!

Fire them all Mr Miller and don't back down, enough is enough.

June 30, 2009 at 11:04:26 AM
toronto stinks
you don't need any education to pick up garbage. What is so special about them?? There are plenty of people who are qualified to fill their positions.

June 30, 2009 at 11:06:13 AM
cc
To John D

I believe its you that has now exhibited ignorance.

Quite uncalled for!!

June 30, 2009 at 11:12:22 AM
Steven
As a social worker in the James Town area I am sickened and ashamed to be tied into this greedy union. Yes I like my sick days, yes I like to bank them but I also realize that what we have is far better then what the majority of people in the city get. For our unions to be on strike in a time where so many are struggling to get by is disgusting. I opted not to join the pickets and take on more hours at my second job. Personally I'm fine with my two weeks a year vacation and if I don't use my sick days, fine I lose them. Right now I have clients that can't receive the help they need because I'm locked out of work. Lets face it, waste disposal is not an easy or glamorous job but the pay is better then what many get. Banking 18 sick days a year just isn't fair and I for one think 10 days non bankable is fine. The longer this strike goes on, the longer I can't help my clients who need assistance with finding housing, financial aid, and job searching. I was told a month ago that the majority of those that would vote for the strike would just be the garbage workers and that most of them live outside of the 416. So really they don't care about this city.

Mayor Miller, fire them all, get me back to work and I can fill in a lot of there positions with people ready willing and able to do what they do.

June 30, 2009 at 11:33:46 AM
Disgusted
This is absolutely crazy! How can we honestly expect this to be a safe and enviromentally sound alternative for garbage disposal? The type of garbage that is being dumped can easily contain various toxins and poisons. In addition to the chemical pest control action how can they honesltly say that this does not have an immediate impact on the environment and those who enjoy these parks. Now they want to increase the impact on our park system with more makeshift dumps??? Mr. Mayor and Deputy Mayor, shame on you both. Your mismanagement of this City has created this mess and the current polls show that people are not happy.

June 30, 2009 at 12:29:35 PM
gregory
I am a city employee mayor miller will keep a strike going for as long as it takes for him to make money for the ttc. loss wages here will pay for the new ttc later and the longer the strike takes the better for this to happen for him but at what cost to the parks is really a bad idea.

June 30, 2009 at 12:41:29 PM
Peter
Toronto, wake up and stop complaining!!!! You deserve this because you keep voting in this shameful mayor. I can say that because I refuse to vote for him. Don't worry, his union buddies will get what they want at the end of the day. The unions are the priviledged ones here, while the rest of Toronto, no the rest of Ontario, no the rest of Canada, no the rest of the world deals with a worldwide recession.
Who the hell do they think they are? I can answer that, they are the ones who have been given all the priviledges from our rediculous mayor. Deficit? of course there is a deficit in Toronto. it has nothing to do with the recesion but with the spend happy communist council that all you idiot Torontonians keep voting in. You deserve this!!!
Start complaining to your mpp an demand that they get legislated back to work.

Way to go Toronto - you losers!!!

June 30, 2009 at 12:27:38 PM
George
I think City Councillors and Managment should step up and freeze their sallaries instead of cutting workers wages. Shame on you David Miller. Remember Sherley Hoy : 350 000$/year = wages of 7 garbage workers.

June 30, 2009 at 12:19:49 PM
Tomson
Suggestions of protest do nothing, you just waste your time showing them that your frustrated. Both parties could careless for the people. They already have your money and thats all that was required. If you want to effect them in any way is aviod paying for the service. Quiet iron really city workers are on strike yet some how managed to still send out bills. They cant keep serivces running if they are not in use.
If all those who rally up to protest would rally up to get a private garbage company to pick up there garbage on there block, you would be removing that service and shouldnt run into this issue.

June 30, 2009 at 11:47:34 AM
Unicorn
Too bad these people don't work in the private sector and join the real world. My husband has worked at his company for over 40 years, and yes they are unionized but they get no sick days. If he is off for any more than 3 days he gets short term disability after that he has to apply for long term disability at 50% of his pay and only with doctors forms that we have to pay to have completed.
This business of accumulating sick days till they retire and then get paid for them is ridiculous.
Just because they have had it for 5 years doesn't make it right. Also, I wonder how many of these striking workers actually live in Toronto itself?

June 30, 2009 at 11:44:43 AM
Ken
The people that live in christie pits shuold not scream at the people that are dumping garbage it is the city ie the mayor. It is funny how the mayor has said there is no funds for the city now where is he getting the money to fund the ttc and the streetcars. how can 1 person be proud of our city when the mayor does the things he doing it is DIGUSTING

June 30, 2009 at 11:43:00 AM
Kevin from DTT
Do not blame David Miller He is not the one that walked off the job. Lots of these strikers live outside of the city in surrounding areas not affected by the strike, so they have garbage pick up. For the money these people make, in this economy, these people should be happy they have a job. If these people are so unhappy with the way they are being treated just quit and let someone that will do the job and be thankful to have work step up . I would gladly switch my job with any of them at any time and never walk off the job. Fire all of them, rehire non union staff. End the unions and you will end all strikes. If you increase their wages or give in to their demands we will all pay for it in the end HIGHER TAXES. GO BACK TO WORK. Force them to go back to work or loose their jobs.

June 30, 2009 at 1:48:08 PM
Al
David Miller once again shows his true colors; he cares not one iota about the citizens of this city. The proof is the fact that Green P Parking lots will only be used as dump sites as a last resort, because they bring in revenue for the city!
This strike has to end NOW and this Mayor has to be removed from power.

Al Kavanagh
North York

June 30, 2009 at 1:48:08 PM
Al
David Miller once again shows his true colors; he cares not one iota about the citizens of this city. The proof is the fact that Green P Parking lots will only be used as dump sites as a last resort, because they bring in revenue for the city!
This strike has to end NOW and this Mayor has to be removed from power.

June 30, 2009 at 1:59:37 PM
Sean
The government should move away from being such a large employer and instead govern the people. I believe that we should privatize. The services offered by the government are too broad sweeping. If many of these typical industries where we see strikes every couple of years (whenever there is a new contract on the table) were to become privatized, the unions in these industries can negotiate with the owner. When the owner (effectively the taxpayer) has this responsibility, they always seem to get left holding the short end of the stick.


Keep your union, but not in a government supported job. What value does the union add for the taxpayer? They work to squeeze as much out of the taxpayer as possible. PRIVATIZE and let them try to squeeze the private companies.

June 30, 2009 at 2:00:43 PM
Jason
When I took my garbage to a temporary dumpsite, I asked if they have a pile for "green bin" garbage and reguglar garbage. I was told "No" it's all the same pile! For a city that is supposed to be green, are they planning on having people go through it later to seperate it all? What a "waste" *pun intended CITY OF TORONTO AT LEAST HAVE SEPERATE PILES FOR GREEN BIN GARBAGE AND REGULAR GARBAGE! *PS I do not support the strike!

June 30, 2009 at 2:04:40 PM
Jim
First, I would like to know why our Mayor and councilors did not have the foresight to deal with these labour issues over the last year and a half. Surely someone knew that all collective agreements would be ending in very close proximity to one another, unfortunately this puts the city in a very weak position. If they had shown that they were trying to sort out the issues for the last 6 months, then the citizens would be a lot more tolerant of the mayor's (in)action.

Second, I cannot understand why the city workers are arguing that the 18 sick days carried over can be construed as a "need". A day and a half per month? In addition to vacation accruals and personal days? I agree that this should not be taken away from those that have earned them. If anything, we should learn from this as a mistake and stop the 18 days, going forward. That way those that have earned them up until now keep them, but no one will continue to accrue.

I find it remarkable that people can strike when so many have lost their jobs, but privatization does not necessarily solve the problem (as seen in GM).

I hope that the city finally stands up for my tax dollars and says no to menial labourers feeding at the trough. Granted, I would not like to pick up trash for a living, but I also would not expect to receive better benefits than most in the working world.

All I can say to those protesting at the Pits and elsewhere, focus your complaints on those that deserve them, not your fellow citizens who have been forced to dump their garbage somewhere.

June 30, 2009 at 2:08:22 PM
Rob - Toronto
Why is the city even in the business of running daycares? The daycare spots cost as much as private and they don't just service the poor. I don't understand.

June 30, 2009 at 2:50:15 PM
Sick of these unions complaining
Here's a thought. Why is everyone blaming Miller. Blame the union for complaining and going on strike in the first place. Do any of you get to bank sick days? I definitely don't. This is ridiculous. In an economy where most people are glad just to still have a job these unions are holding our city and citizens hostage. As someone who went through the long and unnecessary York strike this year, I for one am sick of hearing yet another union whine and complain about how bad they have it. Think about those who have lost their jobs due to the economy, realize you've got it pretty good and go back to work.

June 30, 2009 at 2:51:22 PM
Marty
For the sake of the city, the residents, the tourists, etc., it is about time that there is a legislation forcing these people to go back to work.

June 30, 2009 at 3:03:46 PM
Anywhere but Toronto
I'm glad I don't live in Toronto any more!

June 30, 2009 at 3:32:48 PM
Not Impressed
My husband's small business isn't doing well in the recession. So he did the responsable thing, and took a job so we can survive. But that job is in another city and he's not able to be home during the week. He has NO union, NO sick days, NO benifits. But he is making enough to pay the bills.

Our 2yo child is home with me and I have to take him everywhere. After watching the news, and seeing what these people are doing and saying, what am I to do with my garbage? The first week was my garbage week so now I've been over 3 weeks no pick up. Shall I take him with me to wait for an unknown time in a hot car, being yelled at and telling him why the people are angry with us?

And what are these workers doing with their garbage? I'll bet they are not afraid of going and dropping it off. I'll bet they don't have to wait either.

June 30, 2009 at 4:22:44 PM
Amanda
Really I think that residents of Toronto need to pay attention to why the City workers are striking. I believe that they have every right to do what they are doing!!!! I know that it sucks that the garbage is piling high. Look at the bigger picture, these are individuals working like you and I, not getting what they deserve and have worked hard for. I would love to see the residents of Toronto work one day picking up garbage left behind by the residents of Toronto (espeacially when it's 20 below or raining/snowing). I don't hear to many complaining about all the other services that have come to halt due to this strike.

June 30, 2009 at 4:34:20 PM
PISSED OFF SENIOR
WHAT ELSE DO U EXPECT IN LOSER TOWN WHEN BRAIN DEAD MILLER HAS MONEY TO BLOW ON CITY HALL AND THE GARDEINER BUT WHEN IT COMES TO COMMON SENSE HE LEAVES A FESTERING GARBAGE STRIKE CONTRACT SITTING ON ITS EAR FOR AT LEAST 6 WEEKS DOING NOTHING AS USUAL BELIEVING IN THE FAIRLY GOD MOTHER WILL FIGURE IT ALL OUT. HOG TOWN WAKE UP DON'T VOTE ANYMORE LOSERS IN. & HIRE PRIVATE CONTRACTORS IT IS CHEAPER AND MORE EFFIECIENT.

June 30, 2009 at 4:50:04 PM
Joao da Boina
So much for Toronto trying to be a world class city. Terrible Waterfront, Gardiner issue will never get resolved. North York, Scarborough, East York, Etobicoke always ignored and now this garbage mess? Keep up the great work David Miller.

June 30, 2009 at 5:53:31 PM
Ana
There are indoor workers, outdoor workers and paramedics. Their issues has to be adressed by the city separately. As their jobs, safety and education requrements are different. Paramedics should not be aalowed to go on strike as they are now. Even 25% ambulances is significate delay when you need help now. How can city spend over 840 million on streetcars, sponsor Pride parade, spend millions on "Gardiner study", pay over $300,000 per year to the city manager, but blame recession and force workers to take concessions. It's not right. How did we vote for them?

June 30, 2009 at 6:23:25 PM
helen
Fire them all , I'm sure there are PLENTY of people willing to take their jobs
am a citizen of Toronto, and kids are suffering , this is summer time.
I am disgusted. I think the workers need to stop crying and realize how good they have it. If they do not want to work fire them and hire new people. There are a lot of people out there that would love to have these jobs

June 30, 2009 at 6:35:40 PM
what_logic
come on miller get off your me me me and the ttc cloud. and give your head a shake and look around you have no control of the city. you clean up after the pride weekend. and then have the gull to cancel canada day events. you are a very very sad canadian. and to the unions i hope you all rot with the garbage out there. no one forced you guys out but your union.

June 30, 2009 at 6:44:14 PM
Jose Luis, Toronto
It is interesting that officers are policing and enforcing violation tickets against residents who illegally dump garbage in public parks, why don't they police violent picketers whom attack residents, media cameramen, and offer some sort of safety to prevent someone from getting hurt? Strikers(city workers) already have great jobs and benefits, stop crying about sick days...stop making it a money issue, if you want more money, do what normal people do, go work for it. We have a great deal of people on social assistance, perhaps they could get up and work for a change, give them a paycheque, opportunity and have them work for normal pay. As far as I am concern, if the strikers do not want to work, apply for social assistance and see for themselves how lucky they were to have a great job in the first place. Wake UP!!!

June 30, 2009 at 7:05:23 PM
George
I'm a civic worker and really most people don't really understand everything completely. When I started 24 years ago I was told by the city that after so many hours, I was entitled to sick days at 1 1/2 days a month. What you didn't use, you got paid up to 120 days when you retired. That's the way it was. I have seen what the city wants to replace this with and I'm willing to take it. But what about the 107 days that I have built up. The city wants to only pay me a portion of those days. That's like buying an insurance policy and the company tells you that after 3 years you are entitled to $50,000.00 dollars but when you go to cash in they tell you that times are tough and they are only gonna give you $5000.00. I'm sure all you people wouldn't have a problem with that right.

June 30, 2009 at 7:36:10 PM
UNION YES
UNIONS are here to stay!! Everyone has something bad to say about unions!! If it wernt for UNIONS everyone would be working 7 days a week for minimum wages!!! UNIONS gave you weekends.. If you want the same pay, job protection, benifits etc, UNIONIZE your work place.. Sure Sure fire all these hard workers, NO!! thats why they are union to protect there work!!! If the CITY is in such a bad position?? why did city concilors and the mayor get a raise?? PEOPLE should read and investigate the real issues at hand!!!

June 30, 2009 at 7:58:51 PM
ThomasChan in T.O.
How is this NIMBYism? This is not a big-box store being planned, it's crap being dumped practically in your backyard. I certainly do not want trash piled up at a local arena where kids play. And that footage of the police officer telling the protestor that although they have the right to protest, they cannot interfere...hmmm, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that exactly what the striking workers are doing at the transfer stations? And are they not breaking some other laws out there and whereever they're demonstrating?

While Miller hasn't endeared himself to many and people are constantly using the recession as an excuse, I have ZERO sympathy for the strikers.

July 01, 2009 at 11:05:25 PM
A disgusted Citizen
@ Rediculous

Not all the 24000 civic employees are garbage collectors. Some of us actually have a university degree. Do you??
And let's get to the garbage collectors: let me see how many of you loudmouths would do the job for one single hour withou running off!!!
As for laziness, I work hard for every penny I earn. Being a government employee isn't all roses as some of you people imagine. I have never complained, have always been grateful and put in my 100% every single day and this I can say with honesty!!
What you people don't seem to understand is that quite a few of these civic employees were FORCED to walk of the job. Some actually don't agree, but what's the choice?
Fire us all?? Did you for one second consider that some are single parents with mouths to feed. What a bunch of hypocrites!!

July 01, 2009 at 1:23:31 AM
Sue
Sorry this is NIMBYism at it's worst....Under the cover of some sort of self-righteous universal concern for all Torontonians, this group feigns concern but in reality wants what they want....even if it means that the city will cave in to unreasonable union demands, even if it means that it is not what the majority of Torontonians want. There are 19 other sites right now and Christie Pits site is no different than any other, they were for the most part all used as well last time.....and yet these self-entitled residents have the nerve to pretend they speak for all....shame on you .....just how many stories do we have to hear about this group of self-professed martyrs?

July 01, 2009 at 3:18:24 AM
Moses
How about we take our trash and dump it in front of our elected officials homes/parks. Obviously, they dont care what goes on this side of the fence..

a really interesting story to run is to see if those MPPs using tax money to dispose garbage in these times.

Hey, dont get me wrong! If you have taken a job..do it!

July 01, 2009 at 8:49:17 AM
Rashmi
Good for the Friends of Christie Pits! And thank you Miller for not caving into the unrealistic demands of the union during the recession. Torontonians should stop crying about a little bit of garbage and some minor inconvenience. Move to the burbs so the rest of us can enjoy our great city.

July 01, 2009 at 10:16:03 AM
steve
Fire anyone and everyone who doesn't want to work....!

July 01, 2009 at 1:25:55 PM
Shame on you
What is so wrong about with people wanting to keep garbage out of their park or trying to keep their job decent?
I can't believe the comments I'm reading here. People attacking everyone from PRIDE organizers, to residents of Forest Hill, city employees etc. Where is that Canadian kindness that everyone seems to be so proud of? Shame on you all.

July 01, 2009 at 10:48:12 AM
Murielle
I say lock up both groups in a room and don't let them come out till they've agreed on a contract. Turing High Park into 21 dumping sites is NOT acceptable either ! How are you going to prevent rats ,vermins and racoons from taking over ? not to mention this being a health hazard..seriously in 6 months work of negotiating this is where you're at ?

July 01, 2009 at 10:24:14 AM
john
Toronto you deserve this because you twice elected david miller for mayor. he is the worst mayor in torontos history. smart torontonians like myself who did not vote for this clown have to unfortunately suffer. david miller is the worst mayor in toronto history and has turned a top 10 world class city into a garbage dump. i have a feeling most torontonians are dumb enough to elect him again.

July 01, 2009 at 8:18:02 AM
Al
What a farce someone in a prior post who is trying to parallel human rights to union rights. Nobody owes you anything, may I remind you, you are getting PAID to do a job.

The only rights you have is the ones you signed in your previous contract. My opinion is as soon as this contract is up, the city should privatize waste pick up. This is capitalism. Whoever can do the job the cheapest/most efficient way while providing the taxpayers with excellent garbage removal should get the contract. Why should the general public have a gun held to it's head every time union demands aren't met. Obviously the union is a thing of the past, we have labor laws that the majority of the public have to abide by, but the union has their own labor laws it seems. People need to stop listening to the fear mongering the union spreads of "we all will be working for minimum wage, and our employers will be beating us with whips and chains" argument they have spouted for ages. For experimental reasons, lets see how the labor sector will run without the union. And if you're afraid to be earning minimum wage, go to school and get educated. Seems to be alot of non-union employed people out there who own really nice homes and cars.

City infrastructure should be looked at first as it affects the vast population health and safety. The next step being the political sector needs cleaning up in the same way.

I always thought we lived in a civilized society, but seems we are being dragged down to a "certain populations" level.