I was out meeting people in my ward and had the most amazing conversations. One person provided me with some valuable insight to what's happening in OC Transpo. He didn't claim all kinds of book learning, he did claim to have common sense and after years of doing the job he had the experience.

It doesn't look like labor relations are improving. If things continue the way they are we can expect another strike to be coming and if that happens we need to chop the head off OC Transpo's management team. How much does the top guy in OC Transpo get? 192,000 a year? For that kind of money I expect an experienced and qualified management team. Good management teams know how to maintain good industrial relations. If we have a second strike that proves this management team sucks and needs to be canned.

The bus drivers are upset. Anyone that rides the bus can see that by just looking at their bus drivers faces. It's not a pay issue. It's about how they, as employees are being treated by the corporation they work for. Schedules appear to be the number 1 issue which is just stupid because this is the single most flexible issue OC Transpo has. With so many bus drivers and so many routes it shouldn't be hard to find a mix where most are going to be happy.  From what I understand it's more than just the schedule though. There are a myriad of issues but they all seem to boil down to a common denominator. That common denominator is how OC Transpo management treats its employees. 

Who are the bus drivers? They are average everyday people like you and me. They are your neighbor, or daughter's friends' mother, or cousin, or bother inlaw's aunt. 

Who is the management team of OC Transpo? How many of them are from the Ottawa valley? Are they actually related to any of us? For the most part I suspect oc's executive suit to be dominated by people that have been imported from other parts of the world because they were the best person for the job. Importing senior talent makes sense, paying them outrageous sums of money can be justified IF THEY GET THE JOB DONE! Upsetting your employees to the point that they are going to strike when money isn't even the issue? That's either willful intent or incompetence. Either way that's something only the Mayor or city council is able to fix.

As a candidate I can't fix this problem but I can growl at OC Transpo's management team and that might be just enough to convince them they should be playing nicely with the others kids in the sandbox. It would be too bad for all involved if the executives needed more encouragement than that. 

Isn't this what you would want from your city counselor? Someone that has the courage to stand up to the high paid contractors that control our city in favor of the residents that are stuck paying the bills.