halifax transit union strike is seriously endangering the disabled

7/30/2019 Halifax Transit Union Strike is Seriously Endangering The Disabled

1/3

Halifax Transit Union Strike is Seriously Endangering The Disabled

http://wheelchairrights.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/halifax-transit-union-strike-is-seriously-endangering-the-dis-

abled/

February 18 2012

I use an electric wheelchair to get around.

Access-a-bus is absolutely necessary for the disabled.Most that use this service have no other options for participating in life.

Now the disabled are mostly imprisoned in their homes..

they can not go out to shop for food or anything else.

They can not socialize and go out to meet and see their friends.

They can not go out to protest against this strike.Their human rights are criminally being violated..

Canada recently signed on to the new U.N International human rights treaty

for the disabled.

The Province, the union and the city are in violation of the Human rights treaty

for the disabled that

states that it is now a human right for the disabled to be able to have access

to everything else that

everyone else takes for granted.Specifically..

It is guaranteed in the treaty that governments must provide transportationto the disabled.

This strike against the disabled is immoral and a violation of

international human rights.

The governments here in Nova Scotia need to change their attitudes and laws

to protect the disabled peoples Human rights.

Also I would like to mention that access-a-bus is the closest thing to any

emergency service for people in electric wheelchairs.

In this province and in Halifax there is NO emergency system in place to helpanyone who goes out in an electric wheelchair and finds them selves with

a flat tire or a broken down chair and stranded.

Access-a-bus until know would be the only response offered.At this time the disabled are forced to take risks in freezing,

driving on ice or getting caught far from home in a snowstorm to get their groceries.

Wheelchairs can not travel in snow.

the strike is endangering the lives of the disabled because now the disabled have to

take huge risks to got out to get their groceries...It has been almost three weeks and now many who live on their own and are

disabled will be running out of food

Are you people who are reading this understanding that the access-a-bus

and public transit are absolutely necessary for the most vulnerable people in our society?

Access-a-bus should of NEVER been permitted to be stopped by a union that only cares

about its own rights and not the rights of the disabled.

Please go to this link to read the news article and follow the readers comments to this issue.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/02/17/ns-access-a-bus-striking.html

At this time the Mangers of Halifax Metro Transit have indicated that starting next

week they will try to provide very limited access-a-bus service for the disabledand the Union says they will hinder this by blocking

and slowing down the managers from driving out with the acess-a-bus vehicles.

For those of you who are reading this and are not from this area.

Please understand that we are in the middle of winter here.

Going out in a wheelchair in winter is almost impossible and is very dangerous.

Please everyone help the disabled.

This is my plea to you to get involved by calling the mayor, the union and the

Provincial government.


2/3

Please check out and join these sites

http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/wheelchairrights

http://www.facebook.com/WheelchairRights

http://wheelchairrights.wordpress.com

MY COMMENTS

Ace of HeartsYesterday I sat there in my wheelchair freezing for hours talking with the bus strikers in front of the Halifaxcity hall.

I explained to them that it is time for the union to realize that public opinion is vital to them.

I expressed that interfering with access-a-bus would be a terrible public relations move.

The drivers were in agreement with me.

I said to them that like the big hearts on their placards that they now play the ace of hearts card and for them to ace

this public relation battle by showing the people that the drivers are one of the people and to show us all that they

are true aces by not interfering with access-a-bus.I said that if they still picketed at the access-a-bus garage but did not inter-

fere, that they would win.

I also mentioned to them that these days unions are being eliminated by the stroke of a pen by a politician and thatonly public support would prevent that.I am waiting for the drivers to be an ace.

I am Daniel Towsey in the picture above.. Thanks for reading this and trying to help the disabled..

All disabled people really appreciate it.

Also

I found out from some transit union members that the problem they see with the scheduling is that

the senior guys write their own schedules and they book themselves for the best easy routes early in

the day and then they do a four hour evening rush hour route at double time ..

.The senior guys areplaying around with the schedules and getting rich at public expense..

because the schedules are made

up so there is a shortage of drivers for rush hour and the senior guys set it up so they get special pay forbeing a last minute driver..

which they planned all along.

This is why the Mayor wants the scheduling to

be computerized.

This will save the tax payers millions of dollars in unnecessary over costs.I also heard the Mayor Peter Kelly say some things to the same effect..

Readers Comments

Fundybayman 2012/02/18 at 3:11 PM ET

17 days ago I felt there was two sides to this story but having read about the ridiculous

and self-serving cafeteria style transit drivers use to cherry-pick their shifts my support

for the drivers faded. When I read how much overtime is required to support this system,

my support was gone. Now that they plan to hold up the Access-a-Buses I am adamantly in

favor of any move that gets these people back to work as soon as possible.

This small number of workers has done a huge amount of damage to the economy of HRM and

the well being of thousands of citizens. Get off your high horses and get back to work!Aces High 2012/02/18 at 7:09 PM ET

I have a disability also. Granted I am fortunate that I have the resources to take a cab if I really need to.

But, Im also very aware that I could easily be in a far more vulnerable situation. Nevertheless,

Metro Transit is my main source of travel and I feel I have more of a disability than usual..

I really have to wonder if the rank and file drivers are really behind Wilson.

The Ones I talk to are fully aware that they dont have the public on their side, nor are they going anywhere.


3/3

If the union does block or even slow Access-a-Bus, Im hoping drivers to good conscience stand against Wilson.

There has be so many strategic errors made by this guy..

JamieYoung 2012/02/18 at 8:31 PM ET

Thanks for your comment (Article) , Well spoken and thought out

halifax transit union strike is seriously endangering the disabled

Documents