Thoughts and Opinions On Today's Important Issues

Monday, June 22, 2009

CUPE Mediation Greenlink Style


Good thing I don't rely only on Windsor media for Windsor news.

According to CTV news, Eddie will negotiate with a mediator again. But only according to HIS Terms and Conditions. Who cares what the other side wants. Just like the way he wanted mediation over Greenlink with the Province. Forget the leak took place.

If you stack the deck in your favour, then how can one lose?

Come on folks, how can he possibly be accused of failing to negotiate in good faith now?
  • Windsor mayor says he will accept new mediator
    Updated: Sun Jun. 21 2009 5:24:31 PM

    The Canadian Press

    WINDSOR, Ont. — The mayor of Windsor, Ont. says he will accept a new mediator to help resolve a nearly 10-week-old strike if the union agrees the labour talk will pick up where it left off.

    Negotiations in the southern Ontario city's civic strike were called off Thursday after the union walked away from the bargaining table over information leaked to the media.

    Mayor Eddie Francis says the two sides were inches away from a deal last week before the union abandoned talks and served the city with an unfair labour practice complaint.

    The Canadian Union of Public Employees says a new mediator is needed to resume negotiations.

    In a statement today, Linda Thurston-Neeley, an assistant regional director with the union, says the bargaining atmosphere has been "poisoned" since day one and the union has lost all trust in the process.

    About 400 workers responsible for road work, gardening, garbage and recycling pickup walked off the job April 15, while another 1,400 workers in daycare, social services, bylaw enforcement and clerical work went on strike several days later.

    One of the sticking points in the negotiations is the city's bid to remove post-retirement benefits for new hires.

Does anyone know what this means other than Eddie and he therefore is the final arbitrator as to whether there is mediation or not! Why is there always a Francis condition?

Oh, I get it. If there are no negotiations, then, dear reader, you cannot:

BLAME EDDIE!

Wow. Inches away from a deal. As they say though, an inch is as good as a mile!

PS. Here is why Eddie did this as claimed by a reader. If what my reader says is true, then Eddie outmanoeuvered CUPE, again. It is tedious how poorly CUPE leaders are handling this strike. I guess they are waiting to be legislated back to work as their way out when that happens in a few weeks in Toronto:

  • "Good post. Of course Eddie doesn't mind having a new mediator - as long as they start where they left off. According to Jim Wood PRB's were "never really on the table" because they (the union) knew all along that there would be no movement on them...We were just playing the game". I don't know how slick Jim Wood et al think they are but an offer on the table is exactly what they put out and PRB's WERE taken out of the picture. Whether or no they were just playing the game is irrelevant. Their last offer is out there. No wonder Eddie doesn't mind picking up where they left off. In his mind, that final offer IS a good starting point and he can easily claim that they were only inches away."