Should strikers work other jobs? (civic strike enters its 84th day)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=2fa049be-3fae-4e7f-a71a-9d2a7b89c6ca

Business says it causes 'imbalance' in dispute; labour says 'it's survival'
John Bermingham, The Province
Published: Thursday, October 11, 2007

As the civic strike enters its 84th day, the issue of strikers working other jobs has struck a raw nerve.

Pro-business groups say it's unfair that the City of Vancouver is banned from hiring replacement workers for garbage collection and essential city services, while its striking staff can work elsewhere.

Trade unions say strikers are working in order to survive, and hiring strike-breakers would only make matters worse.

Phil Hochstein, president of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C., claims that half the 1,800 striking outside workers have found jobs.

"The real issue is the imbalance it causes in collective bargaining," said Hochstein.

Hochstein said workers don't have to bargain because they're working, while managers are doing without staff. "They are not feeling the economic pressure," he said.

CUPE Local 1004 president Mike Jackson denied some of his workers rejected a 17.5-per-cent pay hike because they're making more money elsewhere.

FULL story at link.

[Richard Steele]

1. The City won't STARVE without scabs- it'll continue to exist. It won't go bankrupt...

...or lose its property. Its transportation system won't
be repo'd in the middle of the night.

Can't say the same about the workers without incomes.

[HockeyMom]

2. my Dad was ILA

way back when. When they went out on strike, he always got a interim job when the strike went on for a while. Mostly, he drove a truck. As such, he was still unionized and got corresponding wages.