Comments on: Dont Throw Your Trash in My Backyard http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/ Everything you want to know.. and some things you don't Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:56:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Miller http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-1108 David Miller Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:45:40 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-1108 I dump my garbage in the street Near non-existent garbage pick up despite the crippling taxes we pay + bins so small they can barely hold a days worth of trash for a typical family + garbage reeking in the house while waiting the two weeks for pick up + everything available in the stores is overpackaged to begin with = throwing my garbage in the street You should too We paid through the nose for those overpaid city workers, might as well give them something to do I dump my garbage in the street

Near non-existent garbage pick up despite the crippling taxes we pay + bins so small they can barely hold a days worth of trash for a typical family + garbage reeking in the house while waiting the two weeks for pick up + everything available in the stores is overpackaged to begin with = throwing my garbage in the street

You should too

We paid through the nose for those overpaid city workers, might as well give them something to do

]]> By: Daniel Dorsey http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Daniel Dorsey Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:52:53 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-28 The more I think about the Toronto services strike, the more I believe that Mayor Miller is trying to break the union. Enterprising young businesspeople are picking up garbage and hauling it away for a fee. These entrepreneurs new the strike was going to happen a while ago, and that is precisely when I started getting e-mail's and flyers about hauling away my garbage for $5 per bag. They all seem to charge $5 per bag. How do they all arrive at this price? Perhaps this is new landscape for Toronto. The micro business is alive and well. I for one, am sick of the unions holding the city hostage every two to three years (the average time between strikes that hit the city). The TTC, Toronto Services, Maintenance workers, Teachers, etc... We certainly need some sort of municipal 'back to work' legislation. As citizens we all need to cooperate and share in the spoils. In these tough economic times, I am expecting my fellow citizens in the Toronto Services department to think about their brethren out there looking for employment. Since the strikers are not thinking about us, maybe Mayor Miller is by giving entrepreneurs the chance to take over the city disposal contracts. If these are his thoughts and strategies, more power to Mayor MIller. The more I think about the Toronto services strike, the more I believe that Mayor Miller is trying to break the union. Enterprising young businesspeople are picking up garbage and hauling it away for a fee. These entrepreneurs new the strike was going to happen a while ago, and that is precisely when I started getting e-mail’s and flyers about hauling away my garbage for $5 per bag. They all seem to charge $5 per bag. How do they all arrive at this price?

Perhaps this is new landscape for Toronto. The micro business is alive and well. I for one, am sick of the unions holding the city hostage every two to three years (the average time between strikes that hit the city). The TTC, Toronto Services, Maintenance workers, Teachers, etc… We certainly need some sort of municipal ‘back to work’ legislation.

As citizens we all need to cooperate and share in the spoils. In these tough economic times, I am expecting my fellow citizens in the Toronto Services department to think about their brethren out there looking for employment. Since the strikers are not thinking about us, maybe Mayor Miller is by giving entrepreneurs the chance to take over the city disposal contracts. If these are his thoughts and strategies, more power to Mayor MIller.

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Andrew Lane Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:52:06 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-27 Bullies don't tend to do that... Bullies don’t tend to do that…

]]> By: hmorrison http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-26 hmorrison Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:24:21 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-26 Im not sure what kind of clauses the unions have around privatization - i do know that nearly 50% of all US cities contract out all or some of their garbage collection, and end up saving money in the process. Sigh, we need to get with the times and stop being so lenient. You hit the nail on the head: we are in tough times, there are cut backs in all work places across all industries, now is not the time to ask for more more more, when highly qualified people are worrying about how they will provide for themselves and families. Unions need to pick their fights more wisely. Im not sure what kind of clauses the unions have around privatization – i do know that nearly 50% of all US cities contract out all or some of their garbage collection, and end up saving money in the process. Sigh, we need to get with the times and stop being so lenient. You hit the nail on the head: we are in tough times, there are cut backs in all work places across all industries, now is not the time to ask for more more more, when highly qualified people are worrying about how they will provide for themselves and families. Unions need to pick their fights more wisely.

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Andrew Lane Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:23:13 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-25 I really like your idea of privatizing the service, but I'm sure the unions contracts block that as well. There's a lot of unemployed people out there right now who would happily take those wages/sick days/etc but can't. More than the garbage on our streets and the frustration with leadership, I think the biggest shame is that we're in a horrible recession and those who have are demanding more while so many would be ecstatic to take the wage these unions are striking against. I think I might use the LCBO strike as an excuse to take a break from drinking... it's been a long summer already.... I really like your idea of privatizing the service, but I’m sure the unions contracts block that as well. There’s a lot of unemployed people out there right now who would happily take those wages/sick days/etc but can’t. More than the garbage on our streets and the frustration with leadership, I think the biggest shame is that we’re in a horrible recession and those who have are demanding more while so many would be ecstatic to take the wage these unions are striking against.
I think I might use the LCBO strike as an excuse to take a break from drinking… it’s been a long summer already….

]]> By: hmorrison http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-24 hmorrison Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:59:16 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-24 Good points. I don't think Miller is a bad guy, but I have had my doubts for a long time that he is capable of leading our city. As for unions - you're absolutely correct, they are RIDICULOUSLY powerful, many would argue too powerful. They were necessary in society before the introduction of basic human rights and employment law, however, today they often look to secure deals based on an inflated sense of entitlement - I would LOVE to have 18 sick days on top of my already allotted vacation and personal days. After six months at the bargaining tables, you would hope the government and union could come to an agreement. Moving forward, I hope we look towards privatizing this service (or making it an essential service, removing their right to strike). LCBO is going to be BUSY tonight! Good points. I don’t think Miller is a bad guy, but I have had my doubts for a long time that he is capable of leading our city. As for unions – you’re absolutely correct, they are RIDICULOUSLY powerful, many would argue too powerful. They were necessary in society before the introduction of basic human rights and employment law, however, today they often look to secure deals based on an inflated sense of entitlement – I would LOVE to have 18 sick days on top of my already allotted vacation and personal days. After six months at the bargaining tables, you would hope the government and union could come to an agreement. Moving forward, I hope we look towards privatizing this service (or making it an essential service, removing their right to strike).

LCBO is going to be BUSY tonight!

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://torontouncovered.com/2009/06/22/dont-throw-your-trash-in-my-backyard/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Andrew Lane Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:32:06 +0000 http://torontouncovered.com/?p=209#comment-23 I generally like Mayor Miller and even had a great conversation with him and his wife on the TTC after a Toronto FC game last year (he didn't even seem to mind I had a couple Carlsbergs in me)! But your point about his tweeting over the weekend is an interesting one. Whenever these things happen in cities, leaders always assure us of their diligent work to resolve the situation, but it seems Mayor Miller, in this instance, has caught himself red handed. An interesting side effect of his effort to be transparent with citizens... That all said, unions are extremely powerful entities. Imagine if the collective efforts of thousands of people over a number of decades (even before you were born) could've helped negotiate your contract for your current job?!? While I'm certainly no expert on the issue, because the city and the union are such massive, complex and bureaucratic entities, it takes an even larger force (like the Pope, as an example) to force them to put aside their politicking and sit down to come to a speedy resolution. With no such intervention on the horizon, I imagine we're in for a needlessly long, frustrating strike that will never make sense to any of us who aren't directly involved. Happily, the government will lose too much money to allow the LCBO strike to go on for too long, so at least we'll have liquor to get us through... My biggest question though - why do these garbage strikes always have to happen in the summer??? Hopefully the garbage doesn't pile up too badly at the beach... I generally like Mayor Miller and even had a great conversation with him and his wife on the TTC after a Toronto FC game last year (he didn’t even seem to mind I had a couple Carlsbergs in me)! But your point about his tweeting over the weekend is an interesting one. Whenever these things happen in cities, leaders always assure us of their diligent work to resolve the situation, but it seems Mayor Miller, in this instance, has caught himself red handed. An interesting side effect of his effort to be transparent with citizens…
That all said, unions are extremely powerful entities. Imagine if the collective efforts of thousands of people over a number of decades (even before you were born) could’ve helped negotiate your contract for your current job?!? While I’m certainly no expert on the issue, because the city and the union are such massive, complex and bureaucratic entities, it takes an even larger force (like the Pope, as an example) to force them to put aside their politicking and sit down to come to a speedy resolution.
With no such intervention on the horizon, I imagine we’re in for a needlessly long, frustrating strike that will never make sense to any of us who aren’t directly involved. Happily, the government will lose too much money to allow the LCBO strike to go on for too long, so at least we’ll have liquor to get us through…
My biggest question though – why do these garbage strikes always have to happen in the summer??? Hopefully the garbage doesn’t pile up too badly at the beach…

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