Results tagged “cesarpalacio”

"Stop messing in my ward or there will be problems. I generally ignore your actions, but I am going to start looking for ways to cause trouble for you, and when I start you're not going to appreciate it." That's, uh, the usually cool-headed Councillor (and TTC Chair) Adam Giambrone, in an email to Councillor Cesar Palacio, which Giambrone has since apologized for—but which will nonetheless still be investigated by the City's integrity commissioner. You can read a lot more about it in the Star and Post and watch a video from the Sun. Oh, yeah, and Giambrone's Facebook status tonight, updated at 7:52? "Adam Giambrone is walking home—no TTC—to clear his mind and to enjoy the nice weather."

In a 23-22 vote City Council just defeated a motion that would have declared the TTC an essential service. Essential service designation would have, if approved by the province, prevented TTC members from striking legally. The declaration was originally considered and rejected at a meeting of the Executive Committee under the leadership of Mayor Miller despite widespread public support for the measure. Councillors Jenkins, Palacio, and Thompson have been spearheading a campaign to overturn that decision, collecting signatures and publishing editorials to build support. The major argument in favour: the impact of a TTC strike is economically and socially unsustainable and outweighs the union's reasonable right to strike. The major argument against: declaring the TTC essential is cost-prohibitive (contracts for essential service employees tend to be higher than others); moreover, wildcat strikes and work-to-rule actions would still be possible and have occurred in other jurisdictions where transit services have been declared essential, rendering the designation substantially ineffectual. Both TTC management and the union leadership opposed the declaration, as did Councillors Giambrone and Mihevc, chair and vice-chair of the TTC, respectively. Council did pass motions asking that the province designate the Wheel-Trans division of the TTC essential, and require that the union give 48 hours notice of any strike action.