Thank goodness Eddie is back to save the day!
After his exhausting overseas business trip and family trip to Lebanon to visit relatives, he was able to arrive back and get things going again on the strike even with jetlag.
You know what I mean. While he was away, elements were out of place and seemingly lost, perhaps forever:
- "At this point in time, the elements do not yet seem to be in place that would warrant the mediator to reconvene the talks," said Blajer. He said the ministry "continues to confer with the parties ... once the elements are in place, we would reconvene the talks."
Blajer wouldn't say what those missing elements are that are preventing Windsor's negotiating team from meeting with its counterparts in CUPE, which represents 1,800 municipal workers who have been on strike since mid-April.
The city's lead negotiator, Helga Reidel, said she's spoken to provincial officials and stands by her contention. She added she has no idea what the ministry is referring to regarding "missing elements."
Clearly, Eddie must have known where they were since almost immediately on his return:
- "CUPE, city talks back on Thursday
Talks are set to resume Thursday between the negotiating teams for the City of Windsor and striking CUPE municipal workers.
Mayor Eddie Francis said the Ministry of Labour has appointed an experienced mediator who has called the two sides back to the table."
I have no idea when the Ministry and the City first talked and when the issue of the missing Elements became apparent. A lot of time was wasted even though the Mayor was away that could have been used for negotiations.
Were the Elements around but was the person whose job it was to put them in place not good at fitting them together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle? Did the person not know how to set them on the negotiating table in their proper place like knives, forks and spoons?
If Elements were lost, when did they disappear and who is responsible? This is the City's fault alone. They cannot blame this on some poor Transit Union Chief this time. Heads must roll if this becomes part of a new bad faith bargaining complaint.
Someone needs to demand, even as a Council question if necessary, that Ms Reidel tell us why she did not contact the Mayor and ask him where they were! He had his Blackberry with him after all. Why did she have to wait until he came back so that he could find them?
I wonder how big the Elements were... bigger than a breadbox? Should we
BLAME EDDIE?
Were they locked up in a cabinet somewhere and Eddie forget to leave the keys when he left the country? Perhaps no one wanted to call a locksmith because that would have increased the strike costs and reduced the refund to taxpayers.
I got it! The "member of the mayor's office who was on the Athens leg [of the trip]" did not file them under "E" for Elements but under some other letter and no one could find them. That must be it. They were only found when the right drawer was opened and the file folder was seen on her return to Windsor.
However, all's well that ends well. Imagine if the Elements were around and those 4 Councillors who met with CAW to try to get their help to settle the strike were in charge. Gee, if they had a solution, it might have been a problem for Eddie. However, with Elements missing until Eddie's return, there was no risk to the Mayor's plans.
Now Eddie is back and in charge again. The Councillors were told to back off as was Sid Ryan by the Mayor on CKLW since they are messing everything up. Let him resolve everything errr let local negotiators solve this matter without outside interference.
Let's be really hopeful for a solution as the Mayor says again who needs Council anyway when I am the boss:
- "Asked whether the city is willing to move on its position on post-retirement benefits for new hires, considered the main stumbling block to a new contract, Francis replied: “Our position has been quite clear from Day 1...”
Francis said no special council meeting is being called because the city’s negotiating team is not getting any new or different instructions."
In other words, the Mayor has made it clear that the strike will be resolved on his terms alone.
Ahhh, do you feel it in the air. The Elements are in place once again. The Universe is unfolding now as it should once again. Eddie is here!
PS. I must admit that I am out of my element on this.
Why did the CAW taxi strike talks all of a sudden start up again? Wouldn't it be something if the CAW solved their strike and helped solve CUPE's all at the same time! Wouldn't people think that they are a fabulous union.
Yes, elementary.
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