The STM Strike in Montreal QC, Canada?

Travel Info
It's May the 22nd 2007.

As all of you fellow Canadians would know (Especially Pissed Montrealers who are living here) there is a Strike going on by our Societ茅 du Transporte de Montreal (Montreal Transport Community).

This type of Bargaining Scheme also happened on Winter 2003 when commuters were stuck on the Bus lines and Metro Stations hoping to catch an early ride for the rush hour.

This also happened in New York when their local commuting service halted to go on strike and left people to walk for a hour or more to get to work or school.

I would like to know, what would you do if ever a strike by your local commuting service would happen?

Should all commuting services have Unions?

Should we blame them, our City Governments or Ourselves for the predicament they could or they're doing right now??

What are your thoughts.

Travel Tips

Firstly to answer your last question, I think you just have to take each strike on a case by case basis. However naturally I tend to blame unions and their greed. In the case of the STM in Montreal, the workers want a 2% pay raise over the inflation rate when they are already making an average of 50,000 dollars a year with benefits. (that's more than what a huge portion of the people using their service make)

This strike differs from the NY city strike as they are still offering services during rush hours, however for some students, elderly people going to doctors appointments and odd shift hour workers, this makes no difference. The strike is creating hardships and major inconveniences to the people who pay their salaries.

All this said, I am afraid that being directly affected by this strike and being a University student of Management I am a little biased towards the strikers and unions in general. Source(s): http://montreal.metblogs.com/archives/20...
Other Travel Tips

In my opinion, unions have killed the whole North American economy. The car industry is a perfect example. Coming back to your question I think the government should come in and force these lazy people back to work. They are making good money for the type of work they are doing. The US did this with the air traffic controllers a few years back.
Unions used to be good. Nowadays they are just taking the public hostage!
Maintenance workers (janitors basically) are being paid between $ 20.99-26.79 per hour. A university graduate doesn't make that kind of money sometimes! they are greedy !!
Hostage of the STM m茅tro!
These guys are real *** holes. i had to drive to school, pay 15$ parking, and i still had to park 20 minutes walking distance because of these idiots. they get payed as well as TEACHERS... who are much more qualified than driving a bus or metro. who suffers in the end? WE DO.
Ahh so thats what the "STM" is.

I think its ridiculus. I don't live in Montreal but I have a friend that does and I can't imagine how much it is inconviencing people. Think of how many people rely on them to get to work, school and appointments.

If it's true what that other answer says "They get paid $50,000 a year" then I think they're just being greedy.