OC Transpo: No Choice But to Change
It comes as little surprise to Ottawa commuters who were frozen out from the Ottawa bus system last year that the peer review of OC Transpo found that Ottawa’s public transit system lacks a labour relations strategy. Nor does it come as a great shock to people with a familiarity in labour relations that it looks like we are heading down the same path in negotiations this year.
The signs of distress at OC Transpo are not new and reflect a long history of low employee morale and friction between management and the employees who drive and maintain the bus fleet. The most glaring examples of the dysfunctional labour relations climate at OC Transpo are an overbearing employer and an intransigent union but under the surface some real tension exists that must be dealt with if there is ever to be labour peace at our bus system.
First of all on the union side they appear to have dug themselves a pretty good foxhole from which they lob the occasional grenade and sometimes charge to the front on the offensive. But it is important to remember that they have learned these tactics from their employer. Some people claim that you get the union you deserve and in OC Transpo’s case that seems to ring true. The union is brittle and overly sensitive but in many cases they have adopted this strategy as a survival technique.
It is equally important to remember that in the collective bargaining milieu it is the union’s job is to protect its members and whether we like them or not they seem to have been successful in this regard, and they have at least the majority support of their membership. For those who are calling for the heads of the union leadership, call away, but the only ones who have that power is the membership and they have shown no inclination to do so. As far as getting rid of the union, once again this is not a likely scenario and even if you did the employee relations problems at OC Transpo would not disappear with them.
On the management side they have succeeded in doing what many thought impossible, they have made a bad situation worse. We are not privy to inside data on employee morale but even a casual observer from the outside can notice a few disturbing trends. A study of dysfunctional organizations a few years ago found that despite being paid relatively fair wages and a good benefit and compensation plan employees were unhappy because they didn’t feel that they were being treated fairly by their employer, they weren’t give any credit for the success of the organization and/or they were worried about job security.
All of these factors appear to be the norm at OC Transpo and coupled with an evident failure to communicate as also noted by the peer review the employees seem to have developed a sense of grievance against their employer and that there is an “us and them” environment that has developed as a result. It may not be possible for management to change the union at OC Transpo but they can change this climate.
So where to begin? It is probably and unfortunately likely too late to change the labour relations climate at OC Transpo before the end of the current round of collective bargaining but our new Mayor and our newly minted Transit Commission can start a new dialogue with the public and indirectly to OC Transpo employees. The Mayor has already begun this task with his public statement that referred to the desire of all parties to reach a collective agreement. That is a much preferable route than our previous Mayor’s threat to lock out employees in the summer to prevent a winter strike. In addition and at a minimum the Transit Commission also needs to tell OC Transpo management to make improving labour relations a priority for the up-coming year.
But the real change has to happen within the management cadre at OC Transpo. Yes, both sides have to change, but it is in their and the public interest for them to lead the change process. This has to begin with an honest attempt to create a culture of respect at OC Transpo. That means that everyone’s role is honoured and everyone from senior managers to clerical staff to drivers and mechanics, and yes even union leaders are given an opportunity to participate and share in developing a new way forward.
It also means a new style of internal communications at our transit service, one that features offering information and consultation with both unions and employees before decisions are taken. It means creating new vehicles and mechanisms for employees and their representatives to make suggestions for improving OC Transpo and a safe way for people to raise issues like abuse, harassment and bullying in the workplace.
Both these initial steps should be taken immediately and regularly reviewed to see if there is progress being made. If they are successful then the rewards will be self-evident. We will have happy employees opening the bus doors for us in the morning and a growing sense of trust between all partners in the system that can only mean an improved transit service for all users. As taxpayers we should also see a reduction in the transit budget as costly arbitration and court cases are avoided and productivity increases.
Will it work? We don’t really have a choice but to try. OC Transpo can change or we will be condemned to labour strife and strikes forever. And quite frankly it is too cold in Ottawa to even contemplate another bus strike.
Watching events unfold in Egypt over the past few weeks one cannot be amazed by the courage of the people in trying to fix their country. It’s not quite clear as to what the final outcome will be but one thing is certain: Egypt and probably a good chunk of the Arab world will never be the same again. It is interesting and more than a little dismaying to see the reaction of the Americans: How do we protect our interests and the Canadian government: Don’t upset the status quo too much.
The good news is that the protesters in the streets don’t really care what they think, except in their hope that the Americans will not allow Mubarak’s goons to kill them with the arms that they have supplied and paid for. But in the midst of this life-changing crisis for Egyptians it is useful for us in the West to take a step back and consider what we can learn from the situation in Egypt. Usually it is the West trying to teach ‘those people” what to do or how to live. Now the tables may truly been turned.
For those of us interested in positive social change here’s a few of my thoughts on what we should be thinking about:
1. The young shall lead us
The revolution in Egypt is not being led by the traditional opposition, whether that is the Muslim Brotherhood or the trade unions, both are latecomers to the party. It is being organized and led by young people who have seen a glimpse of a better life and against enormous political and personal risk decided to go ahead and try. In some ways they felt like they had no choice, but it’s a lot different to go to a protest where there is a very real possibility of getting shot, abducted or jailed than it is easy to join thousands of others on Parliament Hill where the police actually block traffic to let you pass.
2. The women shall be at the forefront
It is equally remarkable that at the head of every major protest in the Arab world whether in Iran, Tunisia, or Egypt, women are not only visibly present but active and vocal participants. Even moreso than the young men I think they have realized that their future is bleak without change. One can hardly imagine how difficult it must be in these societies for women who face challenges from religious fanatics and conservative families to actually show up and speak up. One feels that they are prepared to take these risks and face these challenges to not only free themselves but their mothers, sisters, and daughters. The ebb in the feminist movement in the West has severely damaged our capacity to affect change.
3. If we believe, and take action, we can make change happen
The protesters had no idea what to expect as they started to gather in the square in Cairo. But they believed fervently that something had to happen and they were prepared to take action to make their dreams a reality. Our approach in the West has been to believe and then hope that change will happen. We kinda missed out on the action piece which despite our whining and blogging doesn’t really change a thing.
4. Social Media is a great tool but nothing beats action
Many will point to Twitter and Facebook as the reasons why these protests were successful and there is no doubt that social media is a great vehicle for communication, information, and simply passing the word about events. But all the Tweets in the world could never have made the events over the past couple of weeks happen. Without tens of thousands of people actually responding to the call for action by taking to the streets there is no way that Mubarak would have given an inch. He tried to react by turning off the Internet but by then the people were already on the streets and they weren’t going back.
Some interesting and reassuring news from the latest edition of Focus Canada, the national tracking tool from Environics Research as first reported by Jeffrey Simpson in the Globe and Mail.
The good news is that despite five years of Conservative rule and a pliant media that has snatched up every crumb they have offered like manna from heaven, Canada and the vast majority of Canadians are not turning to conservatism as the way of the future.
Some highlights from the Focus Canada report:
Taxation
Canadians still believe that the current tax system is unfair and a strong majority continue to believe that taxes are fundamentally a good thing because they help support the high quality of life enjoyed in this country. Two-thirds of Canadians believe the disparities in income between rich and poor in this country are growing, although this proportion is smaller than in 2008 and for most of the previous two decades. Eight in ten believe government has a responsibility to reduce such disparities.
Government Spending and Priorities
Canadian’s spending priorities of the federal government have remained largely stable over the past decade, with some areas seen as having higher priority (e.g., reducing child poverty, education, health care) and others having lower priority (national defence, justice system, foreign aid).
Health Care
Canadians maintain confident about the capacity of the system to provide quality health care when it’s needed, and care for those who are most vulnerable. Three-quarters continue to believe Canada’s health care is among the best in the world. There is also strong public support for maintaining the current publicly-funded, single tier health care system. At the same time, a small but increasing majority of Canadians also favour allowing individuals to purchase private health care services to ensure timely access that may not be possible through the public system.
Immigration and multiculturalism
Canadians continue to hold largely positive views about the high level of immigration to this country and clear majorities disagree with the view that current immigration levels are too high and that immigrants take away jobs from other Canadians. Eight in ten continue to agree that immigration has a positive impact on the economy overall. Canadians are concerned however about how newcomers integrate culturally into the country. A growing majority agree too many immigrants do not adopt Canadian values, and believe ethnic groups should blend into mainstream society. At the same time, there is increasing acceptance of the notion that ethnic and racial groups need support from others in order to succeed in this country. There are also some concerns expressed about Muslims living in this country and their desire to remain distinct rather than adopt mainstream Canadian customs.
Aboriginal peoples
On who bears responsibility for the problems experienced by the country’s Aboriginal peoples, Canadians are almost twice as likely to point the finger at government policies and the attitudes of non-Aboriginals as they are to blame Aboriginal peoples themselves. In terms of addressing current issues facing Aboriginal peoples in Canada today, the public places the greatest priority on improving living and social conditions on reserves, followed by promoting economic development and improving social conditions in urban areas.
Crime, justice and social issues
Half of Canadians now believe crime rates are increasing, the lowest proportion recorded since the early 1990s. Strong majorities continue to feel safe in their own neighbourhood, consistent with opinions expressed as far back as the mid-1970s. Canadians continue to place greater faith in prevention strategies (e.g., education) than in law enforcement (detecting crime and punishing lawbreakers), with the former perspective strengthening modestly since 2008. A clear majority support current federal gun regulations (including the national registry), with the level of strong support up noticeably since 2005. Seventy percent of Canadians support same-sex marriage and three-quarters of Canadians now support for a woman’s right to have an abortion.
Canadians Still Positive about Immigration and Immigrants
A recent study by the German Marshall Fund in the United States has confirmed that despite years of anti-immigrant policies and actions by the Conservative Government in Ottawa Canada is still a welcoming society for newcomers.
The annual survey Transatlantic Trends: Immigration polled residents of large migrant-receiving countries in the West, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. What it found was that while support has dipped a little overall Canadians have a much more favourable opinion of immigrants than Europe or our neighbours to the South.
Full poll results including specific comments on Canada are available at:
http://www.gmfus.org/trends/2010/
This survey comes at a pivotal time for Canada as the right wing forces continue their attack on newcomers. This assault is being led by our very own Minister of Citizenship Jason Kenney who while lobbying for votes from some existing Canadian immigration groups with an appeal to conservative values, slams others, particularly Muslims as being somewhat less than good Canadians if they don’t completely assimilate.
The Feds actions over the past couple of years bear witness to their intention to re-define who is can be considered a “real Canadian”. It doesn’t apparently include Tamils who were almost decimated in Sri Lanka, nor people who belong to Muslim organizations who in any way dare to criticize government policy. They back up their threats by imprisoning Tamil refugees and de-funding settlement services in the Toronto region, the highest immigration area in all of Canada.
The Tories are aided in this effort by not just the Sun tabloid media chain, but even by such august press organs as the Globe and Mail and the Ottawa Citizen who regularly run op-eds attacking Canada’s immigration policies with little rebuttal. They have successfully reframed the narrative about immigration in Canada from being a vital part of our economic and social life into some form of problem that must be fixed.
They also have their very own lobby group, the Centre for Immigration Policy Reform whose Board of Directors includes a failed Reform party candidate, a Senior Fellow at the conservative Fraser Institute and Brian Mulroney’s former Chief of Staff. The Advisory Board includes three Fellows from the Fraser Institute, a National Post columnist and Salim Mansur, a self-indentified dissident Muslim.
Not surprisingly the Centre gets its major support from the Fraser Institute but its ideas come straight from the American right wing. Their suggestions for “useful analyses of immigration and refugee issues” include the Federation of Americans for Immigration Reform whose mission is “Working to help the American public convince Congress that United States immigration must be reduced”. They oppose amnesty for immigrants who are already there and also led the opposition to the Dream Act which would let young Americans who have been in the country for years pursue a path to becoming full citizens as long they can continue to contribute positively to society.
There are many powerful forced arrayed against the most traditional of all Canadian values, that we are a kind and welcoming nation. We are after all, with the exception of the First Nations, all newcomers to this country. If we want to keep these values we must be prepared to act by speaking up against any further plans to “reform” our immigration laws and regulations a la the United States. It’s time for the rest of us, the still silent majority, to speak.
I had always thought that the worst possible thing that could happen was a Tory Majority government. That might still be true but I’m not sure that we can survive another Tory minority government either.
Let’s look at their record. In minority government they have given $60 billion dollars in tax cuts to corporations, neutered the parliamentary committee process, and systematically silenced their critics inside and outside of government. They have even co-opted the media so that any opposition to their plans has to be justified before it can be made public.
Their up-coming plans include spending billions to build prisons when the crime rate is going down and billions more on fighter jets. Who are we defending ourselves from or more importantly who are they planning to attack in our name?
The Conservatives have managed to stay in power by playing to their base and forcing the other political parties to fight amongst themselves. They got here by uniting the right in Canada and to get them out we need to unite the left and centre left.
How we do that I’m not quite sure but despite the fact that no opposition party is supporting it and all of them are actively running against the idea of a left of centre coalition, recent polls have shown that even though the Conservatives are ahead in a first past the post poll there is almost a dead heat when asked if they would support a Liberal/NDP Coalition. See the Jan 13 EKOS poll below.
http://www.ekospolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/full_report_january_13.pdf
Together we have the numbers to beat the Conservatives and stave off disaster but do we have the political will? One thing is clear and that is if we do the same thing we did the last time we know what the result will be. Isn’t it time we actually started building for success instead of accepting our ultimate demise?
The Tories plan to go ahead with the last phase of their planned corporate tax giveaway is a scam, a sham and a circus.
The scam is that federal corporate tax rates in Canada have dipped 5% in the last five years. One point for each of the Tories years in office. We continue the race to the bottom of corporate tax havens around the world at a cost to the Canadian treasury of over $60 billion dollars. This is not seed money for mom and pop operations in Canada but for the big players who already seem to doing just fine, thank you very much. If not how could they afford to pay their CEO’s salaries from $10-$20 million dollars a year? That’s more money in the first week in January than all the rest of us will receive for an entire year.
The sham is that these monies are being granted to corporations in the hopes that they will re-invest this free cash to create more jobs in Canada. Some jobs will be created through these slush funds but most of it will go to already profitable corporations who will use it to reward their CEO’s (see above) and their shareholders. Some of it, an estimated $4-$6 billion dollars will even go to corporations who are headquartered outside of this country. You heard of trickle down economies, this is a trickle, no a flood upwards.
The circus is that Harper has dispatched Jim Flaherty and his senior ministers (flunkies) to go out and spread the word to Canadians that this sour medicine is actually good for us. And anybody who opposes these tax cuts are job killers and cat haters… (sorry I couldn’t resist). According to the Reform/Alliance/Conservatives our whole economic recovery depends on this. Without it we are doomed to be a nation of poor, ignorant, imbeciles. Maybe they were talking about themselves there.
The bottom line is that these corporate tax cuts are unnecessary, unwarranted and unaffordable. Every tax dollar that is given away to corporations is another dollar that you and I will have to pay in order to reduce the deficit. What is really needed is a reform of our taxation system so that they who have a lot pay a little more and not get a free ride. It’s time to restore some level of fairness to the Canadian tax system.
