Montreal mayor warns union he's no pushover

[Omaha Steve]

Source: National Post

Montreal mayor warns union he's no pushover
Michelle Lalonde, CanWest News Service; Montreal Gazette
Published: Sunday, May 27, 2007

MONTREAL - Montreal's mayor said Saturday he hopes the quick end to his city's most recent public transit strike has sent a message to unionized workers that his administration won't be bullied into giving more than taxpayers or transit users can afford.

"I think the employees are realizing more and more that former administrations gave too much, and as a result of that they have a very generous situation," Gerald Tremblay said.

The four-day strike ended Friday shortly after 5 p.m., after maintenance workers voted to accept their leaders' recommendation to go back to work to avoid a government-imposed contract. Montreal Transit Corp. spokesperson Isabelle Tremblay said full service resumed Friday night, and no incidents or problems were reported Saturday. She did not have ridership figures, but said users seem to understand that service is back to normal.

The mayor noted that many Montreal residents get by on salaries and benefits half as generous as what Montreal Transit Corp. maintenance workers are paid: annual salaries ranging from $44,803 to $53,394, not including overtime.



Read more: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=4e932199-cff0-44a3-ba60-7686b997e33e&k=28722

[rpannier]

1. I read the article

It doesn't really give information from the Union's side.
Do the workers have a good contract now?
Is the governments offer unreasonable?

Most people who work for the government realize they'll never be Donald Trump.
But working for the government is supposed to secure solid middle-class lifestyle (this is supposed to limit corruption)
Job security and secured retirment benefits are supposed to be part of the trade off.