CUPE Strike Sights And Sounds

Some interesting material I have been sent. If the City's negotiating Committee wants to prepare some music, I will post it too.

From the website of the Company the City hired for security

New lyrics for the song sung by Queen: We are the Champions.

Title: We are the Workers

There is NO respect
No value or pride;
For those of us here…
Or future young lives.

So, WE set the stage,
We’ll play it OUR way,
Until you can see, you’re wrong in your say…
Yet WE will come through…..

Chorus:

And the beat will go on and on and on and on…

WE are the WORKERS; My friend…
And WE make the DIFFERENCE in the end…

‘Cause WE are the workers;
WE ARE THE WORKERS
We care for Windsor
‘Cause we are the worker’s….
Of Windsor’s World!

You are the Elect.
WE are the hired.
We’ll be the one’s here,
When you’re all retired.

For you have no clue, that it is NOT about you;
Or your personal crusade,
It’s all about lives that have lived and have died for both me and for you….

Chorus: Repeat 2ce

Yet the beat will go on and on and on and on…

We’ll be the Champions; my friend…
‘Cause WE make the DIFFERENCE in the end…

Still WE are the workers;
WE ARE THE WORKERS
We care for people;
‘Cause we are the worker’s….
Of Windsor’s World!

I was told that this letter was distributed to a number of homeowners near the Red Bull site. Nothing like adding insult to injury if true. Rather heavy-handed too

I wonder when I will get an anonymous email like this from a whistleblower at City Hall. It must be serious. Wasn't the name of James Band's chief "M?"

I wonder if that was Eh-Channel's Daryl Newcombe's car parked at City Hall when he got the big strike LEAK from the City, Union or third party free agent!

The Mom may have to wait until Eddie gets back from Greece.

"We thought it was dirt or clay or construction debris -- but no, it is only retaliation"

We need to take lessons in Canada from our American friends. Take a look at these photos to get the real dirt on the dispute between the Bridge Company and MDOT. I have also Blogged Dan Stamper's statement below:

If we want to close a road down, why we do silly things like putting up barricades or maybe even some construction barrels.

Not the Americans. When they want to punish the Bridge Compnay for starting the FHWA lawsuit and then the second lawsuit against MDOT and make life hard for paying customers who want to use the Bridge, they dump "approximately ten thousand TONS of construction waste" to close down a ramp. "MDOT is also storing heavy equipment on the other inbound MDOT ramp, rendering that unusable. Both of these ramps were supposed to be in operation by December 2008. "

That should teach them to try to defend their legal position.

Here is something only a bureaucrat can say

• "According to Kratofil, the ramp where the dirt has been stored is not scheduled to be opened until this fall.
  
  "The dirt is being stored and is being used on another portion of the project," Kratofil said. "The equipment that we are storing is of no concern of theirs, and it too will be used on this project at a later date."

Sure, why make it easy to use the bridge. Store dirt on a nicely completed highway so that it may have to be refinished later at extra cost. Michigan has so much money to throw around for highway construction. NOT!

What I do not understand about all of this comes from this quote back in March from an MDOT rep where everythign seemed fine:

• "The bridge company and the Michigan Department of Transportation say they're discussing changes to the project, which is designed to improve traffic flow from the Ambassador Bridge plaza and build a new interchange for I-75 and I-94.
  
  “They have had some challenges and they would like to change some things that we feel would endanger the purpose and need for our project,” said Greg Johnson, MDOT metro Detroit engineer.
  
  Changes to the “purpose and need” in a federally funded project can result in federal dollars being withdrawn, Johnson said, so MDOT is careful to vet any alterations to the plan.
  
  “We are still negotiating and talking to the bridge company every day,” he said. “There is no loss of federal funding...
  
  James Steele, the Federal Highway Administration's Michigan Division administrator, said he's working with MDOT to make sure the project stays within the bounds of its original scope and purpose, and added that changes are permissible as long as it doesn't alter what was agreed to originally...
  
  No actual work has been done by the bridge company that threatens the project's funding, Johnson said, and any work done on the DIBC's land that doesn't alter the point of the project is not MDOT's concern.
  
  “They're a private entity and they're on their own property,” he said. “To their credit, they are not used to dealing with some of the things that MDOT deals with on a daily basis (with federal projects).”

Wow, how things change after a lawsuit is started.

Here is Stamper's statement:

"Statement of Dan Stamper
President, Detroit International Bridge Company
June 23, 2009

Good morning and thank you for joining us today. I have a brief statement and will answer your questions before we take a tour up the ramp. The Detroit International Bridge Co has completed 95% of our portion of the Gateway Project.

 Reconfigured inbound auto
 New entrance to the U.S. for autos and connection for ramps to freeway
 New connection of 21st Street
 New relocated Duty Free Store
 New relocated Duty Free Fuel Services
 New ramp connections from freeway to Bridge
 New outbound Toll Plaza
 New outbound Customs Inspection area
 Separation of trucks and autos for Duty Free and Fuel

The Ambassador Bridge entered into a partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation in the mid-1990s intended to improve the efficiency of the Ambassador trade corridor. This agreement was to complete the Gateway Project to develop infrastructure to improve traffic connections to the Ambassador Bridge and accommodate a replacement span to the 80-year-old structure. Part of the Project includes building a new plaza and ramps to connect the Ambassador Bridge to I-75, I-96 and I-94. We are excited about this joint endeavor and have already invested $500 million to make this a success.

All of us at the Ambassador Bridge have been working very hard to make sure that the Gateway Project will benefit all travelers between Detroit and Windsor, Canada, facilitate trade, reflect the finest construction, and be completed on time and on budget.

We are here today, however, because as the Project nears completion, obstacles created deliberately by MDOT are preventing passenger traffic and commerce from using the new roadways and are late in removing traffic from city streets. Michiganders deserve to know what’s going on.

Beginning earlier this month, MDOT has dumped approximately ten thousand TONS of construction waste on the West Grand Boulevard ramp (East Service Drive); which stretches for almost a QUARTER MILE.

DIBC has had this debris analyzed. We thought it was dirt or clay or construction debris -- but no, it is only retaliation.

On top of that, MDOT is also storing heavy equipment on the other inbound MDOT ramp, rendering that unusable. Both of these ramps were supposed to be in operation by December 2008. In comparison, DIBC’s access ramps were completed in January 2009 and have been operating since April first.

So what’s going on here?

I guess the last straw to MDOT and the state was when six leading Detroit community organizations and DIBC filed an environmental justice lawsuit against the Department of Transportation on May 15 challenging the Detroit River International Crossing study. Just over two weeks later, in what smacks of nothing less than retaliation, the tons of waste suddenly began to appear. Instead of doing all possible to open the ramps, MDOT was slowing them down.

Despite our attempts to find out what’s happening and to see how we can help open the ramps, we’ve been stonewalled. And who bears the burden of this seemingly childish action? It’s the thousands of commuters and businesses who rely daily on a speedy crossing of the bridge and those in Southwest Detroit who needlessly have to endure trucks driving through their neighborhoods.

And what about all Michiganders who will now have to pay with their tax dollars for the totally needless and wasteful cleanup of these 100 truckloads of junk? Why would anyone want to or need to spend that money when we desperately need those funds for jobs, police, education and road work in Detroit and in other parts of our state? To us this seems like an intentional obstruction of commerce and efficiency at the border crossing.

Let me be candid, we had expected that the elected officials representing this community would have been up-in arms at this needless and deliberate delay and that we could stay on the sidelines on this one. The blaring silence of Representative Talib and others in not calling for MDOT to straighten out this mess is notable.

Instead of their action, we are confronted with unfortunate attempts to throw stones at the Ambassador Bridge.

We are partners with MDOT in this important Project and we want to be good partners. Disputes over interpretation of diagrams or changes in detail are part of all large construction jobs. That’s the reason why our agreement has an arbitration clause. MDOT though prefers finger pointing and inaccuracy mongering. They’ve been using a strategy of creating confusion and misleading the Southwest Detroit community, the City of Detroit, the legislature, and even the Coast Guard about what the Bridge is or isn’t doing.

Frankly, it’s disheartening for us to have MDOT as a partner in the vital Gateway Project while they simultaneously kick us as they partner with Canada on the DRIC.

We were compelled to request arbitration after our discussions with MDOT over several open issues became meaningless and they walked out on a meeting. MDOT still hasn’t responded to our May 20th request. We were then compelled to file suit against MDOT to resolve all outstanding issues. We believe in the judicial system and will rely on letting an impartial arbitrator and judge rule on any disputes. Nevertheless, of course we will continue to try and find solutions with MDOT on all the open issues and move ahead together, as partners.

We want to build a better Michigan and better Ambassador Bridge Crossing. We are investing $1 billion in private funds to build a replacement span for our 80–year old bridge. That will create 4,000 jobs in the first year and 20,000 jobs over the next two decades. If MDOT and the Governor are serious about our partnership the first thing they can do is stop throwing dirt and instead, start tomorrow and clean up the ten thousand ton mess that was dropped on the Project. All of us will be better for it.

This wall of debris is what you get when a department like MDOT has one foot in the Ambassador Bridge Gateway Partnership and then puts the other foot in a Canadian Partnership.

Please join me on the ramp to see what ten thousand tons of garbage looks like.

No Councillors Playing While Eddie Is Away

OMG. I thought that we might have had a breakthrough on the strike while our Mayor was away. Out of sight, out of mind.

Yes, yes I know he is available on his Blackberry---only a phone call away--but overseas calls can be very expensive. Why an hour phone call can cost as much as has to be paid for the costs of the 4 new hires' PRBs for a year or two if one is not careful with roaming charges and so on.

Come on now, our Mayor has become a real jock sponsoring all of these sports events:

• "We are inches from a deal and we are not prepared to go back to the 50-yard line,” Francis said. “This request for a new mediator also shows (CUPE) wants to chose a referee to call the game their way.”

It is the typical Francis ploy. He makes the rules or nothing happens as we saw with his proposed Greenlink mediation proposal

• Mediation if necessary so I am not accused of bad faith bargaining ("The city’s bargaining team remained at the table Monday at the Holiday Inn, prepared to negotiate, the mayor said. And will be there again today.)


• but not necessarily mediation ("Mr. Lee will be more favourable to their position otherwise they would not have picked him,” Francis said.
  
  “We are not going to be part of any process to bring in someone to call it their way.”
  
  Regardless of who is appointed by Ontario’s labour board, the city will not start over and will only continue talks with proposals left on the table when bargaining last broke off, the mayor said."

His "We are fine on the condition we continue where we left off,” term and condition is nothing more than an excuse not to negotiate. HE is the one who makes the determination what that position is, no one else. HE decides where bargaining starts which then determines where bargaining ends. At least in his mind.

Nice move though so nothing gets done while he is away.

Poor Eddie, he cannot even get his sports cliches right. This is Canada where we do NOT have a 50 yard line as the middle of the field.

Seriously strike fans, you have to take this negotiating "one game at a time.” This is Eddie playing "ball-control offense." You have to wonder why he is "sticking to his game plan" no matter what. He must think that CUPE is "looking at third down and forever." No wonder what is key to him is "where [the referee] spots the ball. "

With the pressure of the bad faith complaint where the real issue is who is telling the truth, we shall see if CUPE can "orchestrate a comeback." CUPE leadership have made so many bad mistakes that they "can't cough it up here." They are "overdue to break one." There is no doubt that they are "audibilizing" over Eddie's European trip. However, I expect that Eddie thinks he "has all the time in the world." However, CUPE can make "big gains" about him leaving town such that Eddie might "like to have that one back." It could be for Eddie a "costly turnover."

In the end, "It's a game of field position" as Eddie figured out years ago and CUPE leadership has never understood. "You can see the frustration starting to set in" on both sides. Citizens can only hope that "cooler heads prevail."

In the end, both sides better understand:

• "It's a difficult sell to tell the fan base to have patience."

"We Can Build Mountains"

As the Mayor goes overseas to win for us another event so that we are on the world's stage once again, Windsorites remain at home following his words of wisdom:

• "Asked about the local lack of elevation to host many winter sports, the mayor responded: “We can build mountains."
  
  
  

  

MOUNT FRANCIS

Well, it's better than "Let them eat cake!"

Bon Voyage Eddie

Enjoy your trip to Greece. I do wonder why you have to be away so long. Didn't you do an overnighter to Europe before? Why not now?

I know that you and your travel companion will be working hard on our behalf. So sorry that those troublesome, pesky CUPE strikers did not knuckle under but them's the breaks.

Seriously, don't worry when you leave tomorrow. The Councillors will not settle the strike while you are away or do a deal with the Province re the DRIC road. As for the Bridge Company, I am sure that no homes on Indian Road will come tumbling down either.

Just give them that stern look of yours, make them sign another affidavit and everything will be ok until you get back.

Mind you, I have heard about the ingenious scheme that a certain Councillor has thought up...

Is Transport Canada Using The Globe To Scare Moroun

You may have read Jeffrey Simpson's column in the Saturday Globe and Mail respecting the border file. He's their national affairs columnist. His article came right after one in the Wall Street Journal. Someone has been very active earning his/her salary!

I am not certain if he has written something before on the border file but if he has I do not remember it.

It's a shame though that he was so misinformed in his column. I therefore took it upon myself to help educate him by sending him this note. I trust he appreciates it.

Mind you, the story may have come from another Governmental source. Transport Canada is a rather unimportant Department to be speaking to a Globe National Columnist. I suspect that to get this column the PMO may have had a finger or two in it!

Here are some excerpts:

"You might want to check out my BLOG on the border file. http://windsorcityon.blogspot.com/ I literally have hundreds of BLOGs on what is going on.

I am afraid that you have been listening to Transport Canada reps too much. You ought not to believe everything they tell you:

• you ought to read about "fair competition" that Canada has been promoting compared with what the DRIC EIS statements say in reality about how much business DRIC says they will actually capture of cross-border traffic ie almost all of Moroun's business
• the 2 bridges argument is a phony one--terrorists would attack every crossing as they have done before. Why is Canada supportive of a new Peace Bridge right beside the existing one!! If it was a real issue, then the Governments would have introduced reverse customs as Minister Van Loan proposed in Windsor but now seemingly has abandoned
• Unless there has been a deal that no one has been told about, Windsor opposes the Province's road
• Windsor has been "Delrayed" over the border road
• Detroit's new Mayor during his campaign supported the Moroun project
• the Michigan Senate is opposed to the DRIC bridge and supports Moroun's project
• The Coast Guard is merely asking for information
• Even MDOT is not opposed to Moroun's project and wants it built although one has to get that information kicking and screaming out of them since they are a DRIC participant
• The PM has tried 3 times to get the US Presidents onside (Bush twice and Obama once) at their meetings and failed each time
• The Department of State on behalf of the President has already turned down a Presidential permit for DRIC to build a bridge but the Ambassador Bridge does not need one
• The lawsuit started already should be read by you. It is an indictment of the way that Canada has acted and once the Americans figure out what Canada is doing could well turn into our next softwood lumber dispute with the Americans
• A number of community groups in Detroit are co-plaintiffs
• Michael Wilson's strategy with the Americans over this project is an abysmal failure and, to be direct, is one of the reasons why Canadians are dying in Afghanistan (you will have to read my BLOGs about that one!)
• The whole project on both sides of the river was to be a P3 and you know what has happened to that market--dead (Check the Vancouver Sun for stories about how the $3B Port Mann bridge P3 project died)
• Michigan has no money for the project or even to repair their roads, and there is no P3 legislation in Michigan to allow this to go forward
• Michigan has no money to get federal matching grants to build roads and may lose $800M worth of grants. Moroun's project would give them $2B in grants!
• Obviously they have not told you about the Michigan/Moroun partnership called the Ambassador Gateway project, the biggest one ever in Michigan, designed to handle twice the existing traffic on its own and which was designed to accommodate Moroun's second bridge
• Even Transport Minister Baird in a speech admitted there was not enough traffic for a second bridge and in fact under an ATIP request of mine has refused to provide me with 2 investment grade traffic surveys they have undertaken. Obviously, they do not support the reason why the bridge was to be built in the first place
• The last FIRA lawsuit with Moroun over bridge ownership went on for a dozen years and he won! He is NOT afraid to litigate against Governments (His action against the US Government allowed the traffic tie-ups in Windsor to end)
• Transport Canada's policy is completely contrary to what they told the Senate and is in violation of the Senate Observations re the International Bridges and Tunnels Act
• Oh and for years, we have been told that the DRIC bridge will be finished in 2013. It was only a few months ago in a TV interview that we learned the DRIC bridge would be delayed for a few years. 2013 all of a sudden became a "target." I believe that your column is the first time that 2015 has ever been used by anyone in the traditional media, including the Windsor Star.

Regretfully, you were used! In the same way that a 2 1/2 page spread in the Globe by Brent Jang about Moroun terrorized Transport Canada when they learned that their plans to force him out of business did not work, Transport's hope, if they gave you the story, was that your comment would scare him into sell out cheaply to them. Unlike a bureaucrat playing with taxpayer money with no accountability, he is using his own. He does not scare that easily.

The story is not just about Windsor/Detroit. It includes the Blue Water Bridge that Canada is also trying to sell off---except they cannot do it because Moroun's bridge is their biggest competitor and he takes a huge amount of business from them. PLUS he wants to build a new bridge in Buffalo to compete with the Peace Bridge which Canada also opposes. PLUS Canada opposed his management of the Detroit/Windsor Tunnel.

This is all part of Canada's "Corridors and Gateways " policy. Believe it or not , Canada has tried for 50 years to take over the Ambassador Bridge---it started under Diefenbaker and was most aggressive while Herb Gray was in Government until the recent turn of events under both the Federal Liberals and then the Conservatives. It is part economic nationalism and now is just greed for profiteers---the P3 road project alone would cost taxpayers billions of extra dollars if it ever goes forward as proposed now.

You ought to go to Detroit and meet up with the Bridge Company. You might learn some shocking details about the border file that would make for a column or ten!

PS. Do not hold your breath. You might turn a very deep shade of blue!

Rewriting PRB Motion History

That is what is in the Minutes of Council as to what happened last week re PRBs and Councillors.

It is NOT correct! It creates an incorrect record unless it is changed to what really happened. Who would ever know in the future? I wrote to the City Clerk asking for a correction.

Check out Chris Schurr's BLOG to watch and listen for yourself to what took place at Council and see what I mean http://chrisschnurr.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/guest-blog-where-are-we-going-and-video-the-mayors-motion-on-prbs-for-councillors/.

Eddie's answer to Percy's question demonstrates that the Minutes entry is wrong. The Mayor's Motion only applied to the "and further" section of the previous By-law. As the Mayor said in the answer, for a Councillor who has 4 terms and an OMERS pension, he/she still gets the PRBs

In fact, if this is what happened, then PART-TIME Councillors get their PRBs immediately and they can NEVER be taken away! An even better deal than now for newly-elected Councillors.

What is neat about this as well is that the Mayor's name is not set out as the one who really introduced this in the first place. For procedural reasons, he did not do so because he was in the Chair. No one can in the future, unless they remember what happened,

BLAME EDDIE