Job actions just aren’t what they used to be.
Here we are in the middle of summer and the pools and library’s are all closed, plus the garbage isn’t being picked up. Interestingly I haven’t read about throngs of Vancouverites complaining (are they? has anybody heard?). Indeed, many businesses and condo associations seem to have private garbage pick up which may explain why.
So far it Vancouverites appear to be blaming neither the union nor city hall. Rather, most Vancouverites simply don’t seem to care. Perhaps what the strike reveals more than anything is that, aside from Police, Fire Department and Public Transport (none of whom are involved in this strike) municipal government services don’t seem to touch the day to day lives of most Vancouverites. That’s a sobering thought for the state of “public services” It certainly isn’t a winning outcome for either City Hall or the union.
That said, the union had better be careful. Mayor Sullivan appears to finally be under lock and key, so the union can no longer rely on his public blunders to boost their case. Indeed, the news stories seem increasingly focused on their blunders: First they expressed outrage at volunteers who pick up the trash after public events. Then they blocked cars from entering a private members club, because that club was offering to dispose of their garbage for $5 a bag. As picket boy documents quite well, what could have been a positive story quickly turned ugly.
If the emerging narrative becomes the union against the city’s citizens, it’s the union that will come out looking bad.
Either way, the optics aren’t good when 240 lb men are pushing around private citizens… regardless of how wealthy they may be.
eaves.ca 
It affects me! I just don’t care enough to file a complaint. A friend’s husband works in the construction industry so he’s able to dispose of our garbage when he drops off the garbage from sites.
And yes, the strike is pissing me off. I blame the city, not the workers. What’s so hard to agree to terms already agreed to in neighbouring jurisdictions? I know the library workers have tabled an offer based on Burnaby’s and if the city turns it down, it makes the city look bad.
With how much we pay in property taxes and the city still collecting those, I fully expect a rebate for the services they didn’t provide during this strike. Not likely to happen because striking workers means more cash for the city to pretend to start spending the next election.
I have never bothered to get involved in city elections but this strike may have motivated me to volunteer to get rid of this idiot of a mayor we have.
It affects me! I just don’t care enough to file a complaint. A friend’s husband works in the construction industry so he’s able to dispose of our garbage when he drops off the garbage from sites.And yes, the strike is pissing me off. I blame the city, not the workers. What’s so hard to agree to terms already agreed to in neighbouring jurisdictions? I know the library workers have tabled an offer based on Burnaby’s and if the city turns it down, it makes the city look bad.With how much we pay in property taxes and the city still collecting those, I fully expect a rebate for the services they didn’t provide during this strike. Not likely to happen because striking workers means more cash for the city to pretend to start spending the next election.I have never bothered to get involved in city elections but this strike may have motivated me to volunteer to get rid of this idiot of a mayor we have.