And day 20 of the strike begins.
Wonder what’s in the cards for today?
The talks from before Christmas broke down on Christmas Eve, with the city changing their offer:
The City’s offer includes economic increases of 3.25, 2 and 2 per cent over the next three years, as well as significant improvements to sick leave – including two additional days, WSIB pay and benefit plans. It also provided a new revamped scheduling system that addressed the union’s earlier concerns and includes a $2500 productivity bonus.
When that was rejected, the city asked the Labour Minister to force the union to take it to their membership to vote, instead of just rejecting it outright.
Ottawa Citizen, December 24, 2008: Ambrose reviews options after city seeks forced vote on transit offer
Yesterday was a weird day, weather-wise. I was stiflingly warm in my apartment during the day — it was hovering around 9 or 10 degrees outside until early afternoon. Made it hard to sleep (my sleep pattern has gotten completely turned around over the last week or so, leaving me unable to sleep at night.) It was so foggy that I couldn’t see past my balcony. Then the winds started up and it dropped 5 or 6 degrees. In the winter, the wind usually gusts against my windows; in the summer, little breeze can be found at all. Sunday it sounded like the windows were going to blow in. The door downstairs, which is on the same side of the building, was apparently really hard to open — and almost as hard to close again. Looked pretty messy outside. Felt bad for the Boston Pizza delivery guy (for all of them, actually) — it was an unpleasant evening for driving.
Life Begins at 41...or maybe 43 
Criminy. The union is, unsuprisingly, balking at having its members actually vote. No duh there. I suspect a vote would actually find the many low-men-on-the-totem-pole actually voting to accept the offer, which would screw with the senior drivers.