Breaking news out of Ottawa this morning that the Via Rail strike is over almost as soon as it started. Both sides have agreed to a mediated settlement and service will be back on “track” starting today.

IMO, the engineers really did not have a choice but strike as they had been without a contract for 2 1/2 years. And the tactic worked – as we can see this morning. Contrast this to the protracted and bitter OC Transpo strike a few months ago where neither side was willing to give an inch. Instead of reaching a sane and mature agreement that would not consist of fighting a battle on the backs of riders, both the ATU and the City of Ottawa decided instead to behave like two kids in a sandbox fighting over a toy bulldozer.

Congrats to both the Union and Via Rail for showing us how labour relations should be carried on.

I wonder if the City of Toronto and their municipal workers are paying attention?

One sidebar to this: Canadian Press and canada.com broke this story on their websites well over three hours before the two so-called “major” media outlets (cbc.ca and globeandmail.com)… cutbacks in action, folks.

Trashy,
Ottawa, Ontario