In the capital of Canada, in Ottawa, the last days have been a big turmoil.. public transport in the whole of Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, have gone on strike.. they want more paid sick leave, they want to choose their own routs they prefer, they want the bus drivers who have seniority to be able to choose their own shifts. also just work short shifts.. This means for students.. who write exams before Christmas, at least for some of them.. to hire a car… One female student hired a car for $ 500 for 9 days so she can get to Uni and write her exams.. Students don’t have that much money.. There are single mothers who don’t own a car.. and what if someone needs to go to hospital and is not quite in need of an ambulance but has a bad cut? How are they going to get there? No transport and the taxi service is booked to the hilt.. nobody can get a booking.. they have enough people waiting in queue and those who manage to get the promise a taxi will be available will have to wait for 2 hours.. as there are thousands of stranded people out there looking for alternative ways to get to work or to uni…and to get a taxi every day.. that is expensive.. about $60 if one lives like me approx 14 miles out of downtown but we are part of the capital…that I can’t afford to pay..

The taxi drivers already make good money. A trained nurse who went to University and is an RN approximately earns $ 45.000 here in Ottawa.. A bus driver is an unskilled worker. he doesn’t even need a high school dipoloma.. and they earn more than a nurse.. they get approx. $50.000 or $60.000 a year and benefits and a lot of sick leave.. I am usually a kind person who always says good morning and thank you to bus drivers, but as 98 % of all Ottawa bus drivers are on the side of the Union, i don’t think I will ever be very polite to any ottawa bus driver again.. If I get somewhere I won’t say thank you or please.. They don’t deserve it.. People who leave anywhere in walking distance leave their home 2.5 hours early to walk to work in minus 16 degrees celsius. that’s darn cold and with snow which was quite high yesterday..

The leader of the union already said..”This strike will take a long time” I guess that means.. no bus services at all until the new Year” . If they lived in the USA or elsewhere.. some people of the public who rely on public transport would get enraged enough to take a pot shot at the bloody union leader and at the bus drivers.. if they are not giving up their strike. this costs the city millions if they let the drivers with seniority choose their own schedule and only work the hours they want and drive the routes they want.. A nurse can’t decide what shift she likes to work.. and she can’t say..

Next week I want to work just for 4 hours all week long and I want to work at this or that long term care home or retirement home because that’s were friends of mine work.. so I decide where I will work… People here are desperate.. the roads are clogged with traffic into downtown.. My family we don’t have a car because we can’t afford one.. and to car pool that works sometimes.. today and tomorow my husband gets a ride downtown .. because a lady who works at the supreme court in downtown Ottawa .. her husband doesn’t need his van.. so my husband registered for carpooling.. and she lives nearby and phoned him.. but what happens if this strike really goes on until the new year.. Don’t we, Ottawa citizens have a right to be mad at the union leader and at the bus drivers for their ridiculous demands and this all at a time when it’s freezing outside and people have to get to work or lose their job? They get paid . the bus drivers get paid $14 per hour.. whilst on strike. when some desperate woman.. walks for 2.5 hours into downtown in freezing weather to get to a job that pays her $ 10 an hour.. Am I not entitled to feel angry at the drivers and the union and that in future I am not going to be polite to a driver anymore.. knowing what they put us through.. I won’t be impolite.. but if i talk to them I will never use the words ”Please ” or ”thank you again” to Ottawa bus drivers like I used to do. they really dont’ deserve it. Or does anyone see it in a different way… nice for the Ottawa school kids who have to rely on buses.. they don’t have to go to school. their Christmas vacation has already started..

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You’re right about one thing. When two years ago, the MTA here in New York tried to pull this one off, people got really pissed and went on the streets ! People like you and me, who don’t have a car and rely on public transportation ! I hate Unions, period. They aren’t really helping the workers here or anywhere. Schools are paralyzed with parasite teachers who go “by the curriculum of Idiots” and Schools can’t just “fire a teacher, because she cries in the corridor of the school because her 5th graders drove her insane”. How about those students who are good? Who want to learn? They are left behind because Bush implemented the so called “no child left behind” program into Public Schools. It is very unfortunate what is happening in Ottawa but only “the crowd, the people protesting” could make a difference ! I hope, these issues in Canada can be resolved as soon as possible and I also hope, this experience, can bring some sort of “solidarity” between citizens !!!!!!!!!!!!