Question

Amalgamated Transit Union ( ATU Local 279 ) went on strike just prior holiday season on 10 December 2008. As a result , 21,000 transit works picket lines and the entire public transit system of the Ottawa area came standstill . Thousands of riders , many of whom were seniors , Students , income earners , now faced the challenge of carrying on their daily routine This was not the first time the union had gone on strike , having off the job in 1996. That strike lasted over 20 days and only ended when parties agreed to an arbitrator - proposed settlement . That settlemente Three weeks into the strike , the federal minister Federal Minister of Rona Ambrose , stated that he would overrule the union's leadership and a union member vote concerning the last offer from the city . There was lation that this move was caused by a perception that the union and that some members wished to accept the city offer and net Union leadership remained firm that the union was not de tracting out of maintenance work , better sick leave , and driver che restrike mandate . They emphasized that percent would rule if you w Case 2 Ottawa Transit Dispute Strike plovima benefits being cute boy woker lost about direct result of the is Strike estimates suggest that each worker lost about $2,500 in wages and so local economy lost $1 million in lower productivity and sales given the house season. Following the 1996 strike, the parties attempted to improves working relationship through the use of Federal Conciliation and Medias services. In 1999, the current shift schedule, which appears to be a key of dispute in the current strike, was negotiated and placed in the collec agreement. In order to offset management's concerns regarding the inefficie cies of that schedule, the union agreed to a 2 percent wage cut. At the time of the current strike, the final wage offer from the included increases of 3 percent, 2 percent, and 2 percent over three years union sought 3.5 percent each year and reminded management that other unions were given 3 percent a year in their last contracts. The union rema firm that they would not accept a wage and benefit package lower than a received by other city unions. In their words, issues related to wages would need to be addressed prior to any settlement,

Q1.) Media reports tend to call all work stoppages “Strikes”. Please justify if this case represents a strike or a lockout.

Q2. Please discuss the extent to which the three theories of strikes can be used to analyze his work stoppage.

Q3. On the basis of the list of potential causes of strikes presented in this chapter, what do you feel caused this strike?

Q4. Do you feel that transit workers should be able to strike or do you feel that other dispute resolution procedures should be used as strike replacements?

Q5. What forms of alternative dispute resolution procedures do you feel could have been used to avoid the work stoppage?

Answer 1

Q1)before justify it is a strike or lockout let us discuss the definition of strike and lockout.

Strike is the ceasing of work by employees of an industry with the objective of forcing an employee to meet particular demands. A lockout is the act of employers that entails closing the workplace temporarily, suspending work or cutting short the employment of any number of individuals initially employed.

So from this definition we can say it is a strike not a lockout as drivers are ceasing their works but it is impossible to close their workplace because they don't have any particular workplace.so it is a strike.

Q2)workers mainly strike to increase their wage rate.the price level is increasing day by day but when employer doesn't want to increase wage rate by the same amount then they try to increase wage rate by strikes.

Many times workers get less facilities than the worker doing the same job but at other workplace or other city.then those workers getting less facilities may strike to increase facilities to the minimal level what other workers getting by doing the same job.

Many times workers doing extra duties but not getting paid for those extra efforts they workers should strike to decrease extra workload upon them.

Q3)on the basis of this article the workers demands higher wage rate.the needs 3%increment in their wage rate per year.and they also want to fixed their worktime.as drivers doesn't have any particular worktime,so many times they have to drive whole day long which causes exhaustion and the chances of accident also increases.so they also want to limit their worktime.also they want certain other facilities.

Q4)from the strike transit workers also incur huge loss as they doesn't get any wage in those days but it is essential to strike for a better future.and this short time loss must be compensated by the increase in wage rate for the long period of time.but there may be certain other steps rather than strike like union can make a rule of highest work hour/per day.and no one should do any excess work.

Q5)first of all worker union may give notice to all workers to not work extra time and they should fixed a maximum worktime/per day.the worker union may use social media to express their demand and needs to the common people as well as the higher authority.and they may announce that if their demands may not be fulfilled then only they could go for strike. people and higher authority knows the importance of transit workers.and they also known the impact to the economy if transit workers go for a strike.so there will be a huge pressure on higher authority.and they want to negotiate with union before going to strike.