Is this work-to-rule threat about who gets the coffee?

Tim Maguire, head of CUPE Inside Workers Local 79

CUPE Local 79 president Tim Maguire is threatening to haul the City’s inside workers onto a work-to-rule on Monday if there is no settlement. The mayor, bless him, says he regrets that kind of inflammatory (our word) talk. And as usual, it is very hard to know just what issues of life and death cause this distress. We hear of “duties outside of their jobs descriptions” for one. Is this about who will get the coffee?  How about “skipped breaks.”  That’s a deal breaker for sure. However, the good news is the talks continue tonight.

MISGUIDED SECRECY

Decades of misguided practice have built a wall of secrecy that is abused by both sides. Yes, negotiations should not take place in public but when union officials offer feeble excuses for working to rule or half-baked strikes, it is more than fair for people to demand  to know why  This very day has seen CUPE say absurd things. They don’t want to inconvenience the public just the employer. Can you process that? You are the employer.

JOSH MATLOW MESSAGE

Josh Matlow (Ward 22) sent a message to constituents Sunday night in which he said City workers will complete their job obligations but refuse to do any extra duties as are often requested. He says that if one relies on services provided by CUPE 79 workers, such as City of Toronto child care, they should not be affected. Services would be affected if the union eventually decides to strike or the City decides to lock them out.