From My Bottom Step

LTC Media Release

I wonder how much this is going to cost LTC users?

Tentative LTC Agreement Reached

A Christmas present for LTC users. Higher fares?

LTC Media Release

Received late this afternoon.

To: All News/Public Service Directors
From: London Transit Commission
Date: Monday, December 07 2009; 4:32 p.m.
Subject: LTC Labour Issues

We regret to advise that ATU – Local 741 members have turned down the Commission’s final offer as tabled on Friday, December 5, 2009. No further talks are scheduled at this time. The Commission will remain available should the Mediator deem it appropriate to request further talks noting it believes … Continue Reading

LTC Media Release

Received this afternoon.

A note of caution. It comes from LTC management and doesn’t appear to have been endorsed by the provincial mediator or the union. FMBS has received nothing from the union since the strike began and it’s website doesn’t appear to have been updated since 2009/11/27.

The position of FMBS continues to be the same. That unless both parties are prepared to carry on negotiations in public, that any information released by either side in the dispute should be taken with a very large grain of salt. Continue Reading

LTC Mediation Talks Adjourned

To: All News/Public Service Directors
From: London Transit Commission
Date: Monday, November 30 2009; 3:33 p.m.
Subject: LTC Labour Issues

Today’s mediation talks, as requested by the Mediator, served to clarify the positions of both parties. The Mediator has adjourned discussions for the day and requested the parties go back and reassess their respective positions in an effort to move discussions forward. The Mediator remains available for further discussion.
The Commission has undertaken to do … Continue Reading

Last-Minute Flurry of LTC Pronouncements

As expressed in my email to the City’s Manager of Corporate Communications: “As the only member of London ’s media who regularly attends LTC meetings, imagine my chagrin to learn after-the-fact that a news conference about the impending strike had been held at City Hall.”

Here’s what was posted on the union’s website at 01:23 p.m. this afternoon: Continue Reading

Public Transit is Essential

Now that it appears likely that LTC bus operators will go out on strike beginning Monday, I’ve begun to hear some local media personalities question whether public transit should be considered an essential service.

Anybody who relies on it can tell you that it already is. Continue Reading

The French Are Locking Up Their Bosses

Have you been following this story? The local mainstream media hasn’t had much (if anything) to say about it, but I think it’s fascinating. Right-wingers here like to whine that they’re living in a socialist country, but politics here is actually pretty moderate when you compare it to many other countries: Continue Reading

CUPE’s Poverty Reduction Proposal

CUPE Ontario will make a deputation this afternoon that will propose three policy shifts that the government must make in order to achieve a reduction of poverty in the province… Continue Reading