Is it over yet? Is it over yet? Is it over yet?

I'm worse than a small child in the back seat on a long trip.
I can hardly take it!
All this week people every where are saying the strike is over, before it was ratified by the workers, and then local 416 canceled their vote, and then some city councilors declared they were going to vote the deal down.
I'm reading a live blog of the meeting right now.
If the deal gets voted down, then they will go right back out onto the picket line, the garbage won't get cleaned up, (or picked up next week), and my dream of heading to Centerville over the August long weekend will never be realized.
Worse still, I'm afraid that if this deal falls through then they are destined to end the strike with binding arbitration, and as much as I want it over, I don't want it all to have been for naught.
I feel that Grandfathering the sick days bank is an acceptable compromise. (Oh sorry, I meant "Grandparenting" I really did). Either that or, the strike will just go on and on and on.
My father assures me that the councilors will pass it, even though I see the one for our own district is planning to vote no.
The truth is I just really really want the strike to be over.

I have no sympathy. Dam you CUPE Local 416 and CUPE Local 79!

I am personally pissed off because this strike is preventing me from visiting Centerville on Center island, due to lack of ferry service. Their web site is currently displaying this message:

Centreville News Flash!

Dear Guests, It is with great regret we advise you that Toronto Civic Employees' Union Local 416's choice to strike has caused Centreville to close. Without these workers, the City can not operate the ferries or maintain the park in a safe manner. This strike has put over 400 Centreville seasonal employees out of work. We hope that the city and the union will come to a swift conclusion. Our plan will be to resume operation the first full day the workers are back to work. Please check back here for any updates. We hope to see you on the Island very soon!

And as I may have mentioned, we decided to spring for season passes this year. Not that they are insanely expensive, but they are not cheap and we are on a limited budget.


The idea was to have the option to just go there any day we'd like this summer, and the only expense would be the cost of the ferry ride. I wonder if they will give us a refund? Probably not, not like it was their choice to close the park. From our two visits this year, and our many visits last year I can say that Centerville employs A LOT of students. I wonder how these student feel now that their summer jobs have diappeared.

Also, all Canada Day celebrations will be canceled if the strike continues. (Which it will, there is pretty much no chance of it being resolved today.)

That, and if you know The Boy at all, you know that one of the things he looks forward to all week is watching the garbage truck every Thursday. He was actually crying on Wednesday night. Poor little guy.

Not to mention that some Toronto parks have now been designated temporary dump sites. Garbage in public parks is always a great idea!
Maybe we should change out tourism ads to:

"Come to Toronto! We stink......... Literally!"

I have do not support this strike at all, and I hope that these unions are able to resolve it quickly before they ruin everyone's summer.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!