This reason for the latest strike in Toronto is an absolute insanity! There are now approximately 24,000 inside and outside city of Toronto workers out on strike. I know that you will find this hard to believe but these workers get 18 paid sick days per year. To put this into perspective, there are 20 work days in a month, so these workers get one month less 2 days in paid sick days per year. What genius signed off on this ludicrous benefit? Employees who are sick almost one month per year need short term or long term disability, not sick days. Until now the employees have been banking their sick days and getting paid for them when they retire. The city doesn’t have enough money to keep doing this and they now want to eliminate the ability of civic workers from banking their sick days and cashing out at retirement. And so, in these challenging economic times, the civic workers who are very well paid and have incredibly generous paid benefits are now out on strike so that they can retain their right to bank sick days and get paid for them when they retire.

Torontonians are just livid and considering the vitriol in the media, it is safe to assume that there is no sympathy for the striking civic workers. We can’t count on our illustrious Mayor to take action because he is in power and maintains his power base largely because of union support. As a result Toronto is left without:
•    Garbage, recycling and compost pickup
•    Toronto Island ferries
•    City-run daycare centres
•    City-run summer camps
•    Community centres
•    Green P parking lots
•    City-run golf courses
•    Swimming pools
•    Water and sewer work
•    City-run museums and galleries
•    All city-run Canada Day celebrations are canceled

Here is a complete list of city services and what services disruptions you can expect. What can be done? Once and for all we have to stop giving into the unions and pass laws that declare that those who provide essential services CANNOT STRIKE. The residents of Toronto must stop being held hostage by ruthless and power hungry unions who have lost their grip on reality.