In its efforts to prevent the October 25 Toronto Shutdown from
taking place, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) announced on
October 18, that it will be going to the Ontario Labor Relations
Board (OLRB) to argue for an injunction to prevent picketing of
subway stations and TTC property. The OLRB hearing will be held on
Tuesday, October 22 at 9:30 am. The TTC Commission is backed by
Metro Toronto Council, which last week passed a motion calling on
the police to enforce an injunction.
On October 11, Metro Toronto Chairman Alan Tonks gave
organizers of the October 25 Toronto Shutdown until October 18 to
present a plan for keeping the TTC and other services running. The
closure of public transportation has been one of the key
ingredients of the four city shutdowns staged since December 11.
Following Mr. Tonks' ultimatum, protest organizers made it clear
that there would be no exception in Toronto. TTC Commissioners
have also approved a motion to direct TTC lawyers to prepare a
report on a "class action suit" to reimburse the transit system,
its users and businesses in the case of service being disrupted. It
is estimated that the TTC will lose $1.5 million in revenues on
October 25. Following the "emergency meeting" to approve the
injunction application, TTC Chair Paul Christie told reporters:
"Teddy Roosevelt said it best: 'Walk softly and carry a big stick.'
I think we should go out and get the biggest stick we can in terms
of providing service to our sole constituency, which is our
riders." Metro Councillor and TTC Commissioner Joe Pantalone voted
against the motions for an injunction and accused fellow
commissioners of vindictiveness. "It seems... the TTC is simply
taking sides," he said, "For us to seek an injunction is simply to
try to stop a popular event from occurring." Metro Days of
Action organizers are continuing to defend the October 25 Shutdown
as a political protest falling outside the jurisdiction of the
OLRB. Linda Torney and Margaret Hancock have issued a news release
saying that their lawyers would be arguing against the injunction
on the grounds that it breaches the right to freedom of expression.
Metro Chair Alan Tonks, insists that he "recognizes the right
to polical protest," as long as services are not disrupted. At a
press conference on Friday October 18, he angrily told reporters
that even though the TTC, several Metro Toronto municipality
departments, and GO Transit all tried to work out "compromises,"
protest organizers would not do so. "We have no written agreements.
We have no assurances regarding the TTC or major roads. We have no
sense of civility, no feeling of understanding." Mr. Tonks had
proposed to the Shutdown Organizers such things as a "one-hour
slowdown or shutdown of the TTC as a symbolic gesture." He said
that the TTC and Metro Toronto have every intention to operate
"without compromise."
Momentum Develops Against the Anti-Social Offensive
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Throughout this week, activities are being organized by various
groups in preparation for the October 25 Shutdown and the October
26 Queen's Park Rally. Today at noon, people in Etobicoke will
stage a rally at Etobicoke City Hall. In the evening, people in the
Toronto riding of Parkdale will be holding a "Parkdale Fights Back"
meeting. In the afternoon, a petition calling for the repeal of the
Omnibus Bill will be presented to the government. Everyone
seems to be involved: high school students, university students,
teachers and professors, nurses and other health care workers,
industrial workers, unemployed workers, the disabled, injured
workers, housing activists, environmentalists, and actors and other
performing artists. Thinking people applaud all the people who have
taken various initiatives and are actively organizing these
activities. More and more people are addressing the central issue
of how to force the Harris government to stop its anti-social
offensive, and how the people themselves are to affirm their
rights.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
