THE RESOLVE OF the people of Bayview and North Toronto areas was evident during the recent strike. People demonstrated that resolve in many ways, by reducing waste, finding creative ways to store it, by finding alternative solutions to lost daycare and other programs. And in vast numbers, people expressed their opinions in many communications to elected representatives.
Almost everyone would have preferred not to have a strike, particularly in the summer. Your e-mails and calls offered many ideas to deal with the issues it raised and to settle it in a fair manner — although there remain varying views of what is fair.
Private and public sector strikes differ. If General Motors is on strike, you can still buy a Toyota. But in a public sector strike, some services simply have no alternative source, such as issuance of building permits, issuance of licences, enforcement of property standards and delivery of water.
Personnel continued some vital services, but the city shut down others completely. By agreement, some services were deemed essential, such as emergency medical services, and were continued by unionized employees. Some services have alternative sources, like garbage collection, but the city chose not to utilize them.
Another difference is in the cavalier treatment of customers. Generally, you pay whether or not you get services. For example, the city continued to collect taxes everywhere while garbage collection in our area stopped and Etobicoke’s continued. However, with the opposition of Mayor Miller, tax and garbage fee rebates are unlikely. In any event, the recent strike resulted in so many undesirable outcomes that most residents now believe we need new approaches to these matters. I welcome your input at councillor_jenkins@toronto.ca or 416-395-6408.