Disruption threatens at Canadian GP

[Gerard]

The Canadian GP, scheduled for the 18th of June, might be disrupted as union workers have scheduled a strike for the 16th to the 18th of June for better pay conditions.

The protests from the unions started in January of this year when the Transit Corporation ceased payment of $30 million in contributions to the employee pension fund.

A spokesperson for the union said that negotiations have broken down since April 15th and that this action scheduled for the 16th to the 18th of June is their first move to make a big impact on the employer without affecting workday commuters as much.

[Liz]

I'm glad I'm going to Le Mans this year.

Canadians are always on strike. No doubt there will be contingency plans in place to be sure things don't get too far out of hand.

[Jay]

There better be!

The metro is the only way for the average fan to get to the track.

I have tickets to the regular grandstand towards the hairpin. It's cheap, and gives a poor view but I cannot afford much more than $100CA for the ticket.

[EERO]

AARRRGGGHHH!!!!

[Liz]

The construction geeks threatened to strike the CART race last year. They were Convinced not to try it.

This will also happen in Montreal. Trust me. Bernie has Friends in High Places. Paging Don Corleone.

[Gerard]

According to labour minister, Diane Lemieux the transit commission and the worker's union was scheduled to appear before the Essential Services Council on Friday to discuss a contingency plan for the Canadian GP weekend.
She commented with: "There's very high stakes. That's what the Essential Services Council will be documenting over the next few days. There are health and safety considerations. There are a lot of people who will need to be transported. We must examine a conflict like this from the perspective of health and safety."

In turn a spokesperson for the workers' union, Odile Paradis was quoted as saying: "Obviously, we will continue to negotiate. We would like to see the talks bear fruit".

Lemieux ended by saying that as a final solution they can always turn to the legislator. She added that it isn't the desired option and that she is confident the parties involved will themselves come up with a solution.

[Liz]

Since the Prime Minister is from Quebec, I daresay he will make sure the strikers get all the money they want, so his province will not look bad before the world.

What he ought to do is decertify the union and fire the lot of them - with unemployment this high he could restaff the place overnight. And then the next lot would be less likely to try to hold everyone hostage.

But he won't. He'll cave in. And next year it will be all to do over again.

[Jay]

I don't care what the PM does, (although it is not in his jurisdiciton) as long as I get to the race!!!!!

Pay them what you will, point a sharp stick at them, as long as the trains are running!