Vancouver Forum: do you notice that when people really hate their jobs...

...Or use it as an excuse to take a good long rest.

So, I'd say that within 5, the Vancouver garbage workers'll be at it again on the picket lines.

...no matter how much we pay them.

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I'd say it's more to do with CUPE than the employees hating there jobs.....same thing happens to the cafeteria cashiers making $20+, not exactly tough for them.

Goat Boy©, on 04 July 2009 - 05:49 AM, said:

Actually, I don't mind so much if a cafeteria cashier makes $20 an hour as long as they work hard, they take pride in ther jobs...and the don't...STRIKE!

I sometimes go to this gov't run cafeteria, the food is good, the workers appear to be well-paid, love their jobs,take pride in what they do, they're very nice to the customers, but as far as I know, they've never gone on strike. Nor do they threaten strike action.

But garbage workers and bus drivers in this city, both well-paid government workers, did go on strike, did close the city down, and did hold the people of Vancouver and in the outlying municipalies ransom. I mean....they get all this money, and they still go and strike, and try to kill everyone else, even if they're not the cause of their ills. They don't try to find a middle ground or a solution.

Like, about the only busses in the city which I'm willing to ride on a regular basis and pay for now, are the West Vancouver busses. because last time, the busses here went on strike, West Van's were the only ones who didn't. They get paid a pretty penny, but at least they do their jobs, they like what they do, they're helpful and as far as I can see, they're never late, and they rarely break down. That's everything which CMB is not.

Similarly, 10 years ago, many apartments and business used to rely on the city to pick up their garbage. But if you go into the alleways downtown now, hardly any of them do, and rely upon private garbage disposal services. In fact, I haven't even seen ONE apartment or business which uses the City of Vancouver anymore for garbage disposal services. One apartment I used to live in did, but they got creamed in the last strike, so the strata owners decided to switch to a private company.

This post has been edited by .or?: 04 July 2009 - 05:47 AM

Several cities in the US have gone to contract garbage pickup. Private companies compete to do the job. Those cities fired their garbage workers, and contracted the service out.

The result? Better service at a much lower cost to the taxpayers.

The same has been true with virtually every service that has been contracted out. The customers het better service, the price is lower and everyone except the vastly overpaid government workers benefits.

Other than safety services, military services and essential government services, I am convinced that no government should be allowed to provide any service that can be performed by private industry.

And I love Ronald Regan's approach to government workers that went on strike. When the Air Traffic Controllers went on strike, he gave them 72 hours to return to work, or be fired. They didn't believe him, so over 80% of the PATCO member ended up being fired and permanently barred from any Federal employment. There has not been any strikes against the Federal government since then.

That's how striking workers should be dealt with.

The Old medic, on 04 July 2009 - 08:22 AM, said:

I'm with you on this...

The Old medic, on 04 July 2009 - 08:22 AM, said:

What makes you think those private companies who do the contract garbage pickup aren't unionized I'm sure that BFI is. So the same result they can strike too without being city workers.

Nat, on 04 July 2009 - 08:35 AM, said:

Typically a sub-contracted essential service will include forfeiture of the right to strike in the CBA. Everywhere in the port does, it's all contracted.

Goat Boy©, on 04 July 2009 - 09:31 AM, said:

Garbage isn't an essential service our contracted out garbage service went on strike.