TTC as an essential service

On March 30 provincial politicians give the final approval to declare TTC workers an essential service which takes away their legal right to strike, and forcing the two sides into binding arbitration should they not be able to come to an agreement on a contract.

The Town Crier‘s Tristan Carter asked transit users if they thought the TTC workers should be allowed to strike. Here are some of their responses.

[attach]3926[/attach]Faizan Akhter

“No not really. I need the TTC to go to work to university and all that. I don’t drive, I’d miss a lot of work and university time. I can’t afford to do that.”

[attach]3927[/attach]Victor Tichy

“Yes. They’re unionized like most of us. They should have the same rights. If any body should be an essential service it should be people like water production, water quality inspectors and such like.”

[attach]3928[/attach]Ben Reynolds

“It’s not that simple. I think they should be allowed to go on strike. I think they should do a lot to weaken the power of the actual union though so that it’s not so easy for them to hold the city over a barrel. It’s everybody’s right to stop working if they want to I think it just shouldn’t be so easy for them and so hard on everyone else when they do. It shouldn’t be an essential service. It’s not the same thing as a hospital or an ambulance service. There are other ways to get around town.”

[attach]3930[/attach]Yvette Isaac

“For what? What do they need? We’re the ones that need to strike and bombard this service and say we’re not taking anymore. We need to ride for free. Even one day of the week. I really, really think the TTC is not giving us our money’s worth.”

[attach]3931[/attach]Vimal Gopal

“No. They’re a public service. I’m also a public servant. I’m a cab driver.”

[attach]3932[/attach]Gavin McMahon

“In exceptional circumstances yes but I kind of agree that it is an essential service because thousands of people use it everyday.”

[attach]3933[/attach]Kate Tunney

“I would like to say yes (to TTC workers being declared an essential service) because the striking and everything, I think it affects the wrong people. I think the people who can afford to take cabs around or live in the centre of town, they’re not affected as much as people that don’t have as much money.”

[attach]3934[/attach]Sharon Sweeney

“I think it’s their right. I think it’s everybody’s right.”

[attach]3935[/attach]Gaela Myers

“No I don’t. People got to be somewhere and they get paid a lot. I just don’t think they have anything to whine about.”