Mayor David Miller's frustration with the civic
worker's strike reached a boiling point during a Friday afternoon press
conference.
"I am extremely frustrated at the very slow pace
of negotiations, particularly after the fair and reasonable offer the city made
last week," Miller, his voice cracking at times, stated.
"The City was not
asking for any concessions, changes to seniority, or anything of the kind, and
had made a fair and reasonable proposal to deal with the significant liability
of outstanding sick bank days and a fair and reasonable proposal on
wages."
Miller maintains the
City's latest offer should have ended the strike, and in fact, he doesn't
believe a strike was necessary to begin with.
"Throughout the past four weeks I've called the strike
unnecessary because it's my belief that the issues between us should have been
resolved at the bargaining table without a strike."
"There's no reason why this strike couldn't have
been settled long ago, let alone this week."
The mayor also noted that the strike is having
far reaching effects that go well beyond garbage piling up.
"This is a strike
against the most vulnerable Torontonians, including social assistance
recipients, and children whose camps, childcare, Centreville, and job
opportunities...have all been ended during the course of the
strike."
As the strike drags on, more and more residents are complaining about
unsanitary conditions.
Rats - admittedly, not an uncommon sight on Toronto's streets - have become
bolder and more prevalent as the garbage continues to pile up.
Several were spotted on Friday morning near Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street,
frolicking in illegally dumped trash.
Ferries to the Toronto islands, day cares, summer camps and EMS services have
all been affected by the job action.
Marilyn Campbell lives near the temporary dump site at Campbell Park.
On Friday, she was out with other residents, asking that those looking to
drop off their trash take it somewhere else.
"We're asking people respectfully to take their garbage to the Ingram
Transfer Station or to the Commissioners Street site. Those are not residential
areas, those are not parks; it's where the garbage trucks go.
"That's where the garbage can be safely stowed without all of the
complications that it has in a community setting."
And at least some are receptive to the message.
"People are saying that the next time they go out, they're going to take it
to the Ingram station or the Commissioners site."
City councillors are once again considering forcing Mayor David Miller's hand
and calling an emergency meeting.
They are just one signature shy of the 23 needed to move forward
The Ontario Ministry of Health is investigating allegations that low staffing
levels at emergency services and a slow response time by ambulance was a factor
in the death of a 59-year-old Toronto man.
Jim Hearst died of a heart attack on June 25 and his partner Alejandro
Martinez claims that emergency crews took half an hour to arrive at their home,
despite three calls to 911.
During the strike, staffing levels at EMS have dropped to 75 per cent.
However, the city claims ambulance response times for high-priority urgent
calls have not been affected, and maintain the original 911 call did not express
the seriousness of the situation.
Though negotiations are continuing, there's no word on how they are
progressing. The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 79 and Local 416 have
been without a contract since December. The main issue in the talks continues to
be sick days.
Meanwhile in Windsor, unionized workers rejected the city's latest offer.
About 1,800 municipal employees have been on strike for over three months.
At issue are the retirement benefits that will be doled out to new hires. The
city plans to cut them, and the union is opposed to that.
The latest offer from Mayor Eddie Francis included a 6.3 per cent wage hike
and a $1,300 lump sum payment.
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