June 1st, 2006
TTC union attack ads
By Matthew Blackett // 2 Comments
Did anyone see the ads that the TTC union took out in the major papers yesterday? They described how TTC driver Bobbie was assaulted by a passenger -- kicked, dragged off the streetcar, months of rehab....
The ad shows the photos of TTC G.M. Rick Ducharme, TTC Chair Howard Moscoe and Mayor David Miller accusing them of deliberately ignoring the problem of drivers and fare collectors and trying to turn the public against the workers.
But wasn't the wildcat strike about protesting the change in shift work of janitor and mechanical staff? Though many people assumed the strike had something to do with the danger factor of fare collection, this was not the case. In a classic move to deflect the real focus of a dispute, the TTC union spent $60,000 in ad placements to keep on fighting in full public view.
I'm becoming more and more disappointed in the TTC union as this fracas escalates. I sympathize and support each of their grievances, but I take serious issue with their methods of communication. The public is already pissed off at them. The TTC is winning the PR battle by rebating $4 to Metropass and weekly pass holders -- so now the union turns to attack ads? Imagine if the City took out an ad with a photo of union leader Bob Kinnear (pictured right) and attacked his policies and personal principles -- there would be a shit storm of invectives coming from the union executive.
Too often these disputes turn into childish sandbox fights and it looks like the TTC union is acting pissy and wants to take its toys home.
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Comments
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The strike was an absolute disaster for the union. If I'm a member right now, I'm looking for any means possible to can Bob Kinnear as fast as possible.
From his absurd contention that it was a lockout (when the union's website said they had walked off the job), and that he only found out about it by listening to the morning news, to his changing story, to his attempts to duck TTC lawyers and the media, it was a blunder from beginning to end.
Personally, I'd like to see the fate of the TTC and the union supporting it made an election issue. While most Torontonians love the TTC, I've not run into one person who supports the union or its tactics, let alone the scads of wasted money on jobs that need not exist or PR campaigns that aren't needed.
Comment by Daniel
June 1, 2006 | 2:54 pm