I admire Nicole's idea, but people need options provided when asked to abandon the TTC for a day.
Options like:
1) Take a sick/vacation/personal day off from work. You know you want to. ;)
2) Bike to Work - bikingtoronto's Bike The Strike page (from the last time a TTC strike was threatened) has good info on how to get started.
3) Carpool - arrange carpools at your work
4) Drive (as a last resort) - thousands of people not taking the TTC and driving instead will mean TONS of congestion... and people will pay more for the TTC in order to avoid that.
My problem with this is that it is posed as if TTC were an option. FOr the working poor who cannot afford to carpool (uh, cause they can't afford cars!) or single mothers who have to pick up kids, the bus is the only option for people. Sorry, call in a sick day? Some of us are not privileged enough to get sick pay. Rather than a bus strike, it would have been better to organize a FARE strike. As in, if we collectively entered buses and refused to pay their high fares.
ReplyDeleteI considered that briefly - the fare strike - but we would need to organize and coordinate with the union for that to work. There's so much animosity between the workers and commuters right now, we'd have to be sure it wouldn't become an issue.
ReplyDeleteI know the working poor will be less likely to take part - which is why it's important for those of us who can to do so. I've encouraged those of us that can't to call the TTC and the city. I'll be putting together an options post tonight that gives a way for everyone to participate, regardless of whether they require the TTC tomorrow.
Future actions will be better planned. this happened very quickly and just