More negotiation needed to avoid strikes

The seasons are changing, the leaves are turning. It must be time for striking.

The recent flare-up in union strikes is becoming a permanent trend, as Toronto deals with another worker strike, one that involves the city’s libraries.

Everyone remembers the six-week municipal workers strike from this past summer. It left piles of garbage rotting in the streets and a bad taste in Torontonians mouths for workers’ strike.

It may be because of our experience with the garbage strike that the media has turned away from covering the DriveTest strike. The lack of coverage on the DriveTest strike is unfortunate, considering the strike has effectively shut down the province’s driver licensing system.

So, is this the consequence of living in a democratic society? Where workers are constantly walking off the job? When people stop working, it directly impacts the economy, especially when that economy is slowly recovering from a recession.

The purpose of strikes is to compel employers to give their employees better pay, better benefits, and better working conditions. Shouldn’t all employees deserve the best their employers can give them?

Though people may be quick to judge that workers are taking advantage of their unions’ power, we have to realize they’re also trying to survive in these slow economic times.

Even though the struggle between worker and boss isn’t always black and white, striking in the end causes headaches for the employers, the workers, and their customers and clients. The DriveTest strike has created a backlog of all those wanting to get or renew their licences and the province isn’t even sure how to deal with that backlog once the strike has ended.

Workers should get better benefits at work, but should do so without resorting to a strike. Employers and employees should negotiate agreements that satisfy the needs of both service providers and consumers before strike deadlines.

About this article

By: Lauren Hummel
Posted: Oct 26 2009 8:06 am
Edition:
Filed under: Opinion

1 Comment on "More negotiation needed to avoid strikes"

  1. K.Jonathan Billingsworth | November 16, 2009 at 7:19 pm |

    This is very serious for all of us. The driver passes a road test , buys a car, dealership wins . The driver travels with car burning gas going to the prov & fed tax,insurance,auto shop repairs/servicing, hotels ,local shops. Driving schools, trucks, everyone working & driving, a lotta money and revenue for gov’t and people.Yet the MTO DOES NOTHING allowing a British multinational company to crap all over our province. Remember this gov’t that DID NOT act –Like the KATRINA victims-until people outraged enough.Everyone is directly or indirectly suffering a wave of financial disaster..3 months and 300,000 backlog and counting wait til you feel the increase tax. Pathetic representitives and protectors of the people of Ontario. Yeah right.Vote anyone BUT LIB.NDP>CONS. they don’t give a rats ass.

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