Entering the ninth week of the Vancouver Civic Strike, both sides still cannot come to an agreement on terms for a new contract. The latest update will have a couple of mediators appointed to sit down with the City of Vancouver and its unions to help resolve issues. All of this will be conducted under a media blackout which is a good thing. It’s been reported that the city saves approximately $2 million dollars a week from payroll expenditures. Let’s do some simple multiplication: eight full weeks of work stoppage means the city has saved $16 million dollars already. $2 million a week is incredible savings for mediocre work, at best, by the workers. Not only do they save a tremendous amount of money each week, any public sediment for the workers deteriorate to higher levels as each passing week comes and goes. Another week also means more debt for the workers by digging deeper into their lines of credit and credit cards.

Vancouver city striker/ picketer Charlene Cranton:

“Times are getting tough out here. It’s getting stressful. The mortgage needs to be paid, the bills need to be paid, the kids need to be fed and things are getting tight.”

Message to Cranton: Tell your stubborn CUPE leaders to accept the City’s generous offer and end the strike. People are lucky to even have jobs.