Time to show what it means to lead. | Metro Transit and the next mayor of Halifax

bsommerhalder March 12, 2012 8

/ Because now it’s about looking forward. /

With the Halifax Metro Transit bus strike downshifting to a much-too-long awaited end, we find ourselves out of the contractual weeds and into a much larger conversation about the health of our public transit system, and questions about whether stronger leadership from City Hall could have made for a less painful collective agreement negotiation, or even have outright prevented the strike.

Throughout the negotiations, most mayoral candidates took a play-it-safe approach and declined to publicly wade into the issue. The exception to this would be Tom Martin, who last week called for binding arbitration to end the strike. While I admire Mr. Martin’s willingness to face the tough question, I won’t fault the other candidates for not coming out in support of a specific solution. No one had all of the details laid out for them, and so without all information, it might have been a little hasty on Mr. Martin’s part to call for one specific solution over another. I’d like to think decisions like this would be made with all cards on the table. (Yes, admittedly I pushed for solutions; at least I settled on a creative and collaborative one. And I’m not running for mayor).

But now is the time for all mayoral candidates to come out and talk public transit.

I want to know what each of the candidates, if they were mayor, would do to thank the public for their patience, and to recognize their suffering.

How would they address Metro Transit’s obvious organizational and infrastructural shortcomings?

What have each of the candidates learned about HRM and its relationship with the people under its employ?

Are the mayoral candidates happy with the current bus routing, fares, level of tax subsidization, efficiency, accessibility, management, and long term efficacy and viability of Metro Transit?

How will they prevent this same thing from happening the next time ATU 508′s collective agreement with Metro Transit expires?

While I can excuse the relative silence that most candidates have chosen to observe on Metro Transit’s contract negotiations, I will not excuse any candidate for remaining silent while the municipality is in recovery mode over a trying, costly, and emotionally defeating transit strike, and the many questions that remain about how this crucial public service is run now, and how it will be run in the future.

Be sure to listen to my interview with one of the organizers of the newly-formed Halifax Transit Riders’ Alliance. The HTRA aims to push for improvements within the public transit system.

TAGS » labour dispute, metro transit, tom martin, transit strike

POSTED IN » Community, Current Issue, HRM Election 2012, Policy and Governance

Yadviga

Truly inspiring leaders get results by their own example: They encourage others to be responsible and do the right thing, but not by proclaiming and bragging about their unimpeachable management. They create space for others to be inspired and to achieve their own greatness. – Dr. Wayne Dyer
http://ask4more.ca Tom Martin

Hi Brendon,

I would like to thank you for bringing up the fact that I was the only candidate that made the decision to publically wade into the transit issue. Although I do believe Mr. Savage did say something regarding the strike on CBC last week.
I would appreciate the opportunity to address two issues in regards to the above blog post;

Issue #1

You state – “The exception to this would be Tom Martin, who last week called for binding arbitration to end the strike”.

The article you are referring to I released on March 5, 2012 and in it I clearly stated – “I am in favor of arbitration, but only after all avenues of solvability have been exhausted. Arbitration should always be the last resort because once it is set in motion, it is in the hands of the arbitrator and the arbitrator’s decision is final….”

Further to this I also stated – “The municipality and the Transit Union should be demanding their negotiating units to get back to negotiations because no one benefits when they are away from the table. Exhaust the negotiation process, exhaust the conciliation process and exhaust the mediation process.”

With the highest level of respect, I do not believe your statement that I called for binding arbitration to end the strike is accurate at all.

I also released an article on February 7, 2012 in reference to the transit strike. The essence of this article is captured in the last paragraph where I state – “Both sides on this strike absolutely need to get back to the bargaining table, and get comfortable because they are going to be there a while. The Amalgamated Transit Union owes this to their membership and its riders. The Municipality owes this to its citizens.”
I encourage you to please read both articles on my website at http://www.ask4more.ca

Issue #2

In this same blog you point out that most mayoral candidates took a play-it-safe approach and declined to publicly wade into the issue. You state that you are not going to fault the other candidates for not coming out because decisions like this would be made with all cards on the table. You further state that, in your opinion, I might have been a little hasty to call for one specific solution over another. You close with – “But now is the time for all mayoral candidates to come out and talk public transit”.

Again, with all due respect sir, I strongly disagree with this mindset.

Regarding my response being hasty in calling for one solution – this is addressed in the previously mentioned issue (#1). Back to the table was the only stance I took on the transit issue and it was only after being at the table was a resolution reached.

If you read what I released on February 7 regarding the transit strike you will also see I clearly state – “Some mayoralty candidates refuse to comment on this issue, but I believe this is just the type of comment a candidate for mayor should be commenting on. It’s real and it’s happening now and somehow it has to be resolved.”

As a citizen I want a mayor that will take a stand on issues, a mayor that will make a decision when decisions are called for. The citizens of our municipality need to hear from the candidates not only through their prepared speeches but more importantly, what they have to say during a time of difficulty. Voters want to know what a candidate’s opinion is regarding a specific situation as it happens.

It’s very easy to reflect back on an issue after it is over. Personally, as a citizen I want to know what the candidates are thinking and what their solutions would be while the situation is going on. To me that reflects how they will react in the future. Given the choice of a mayor that is proactive or reactive, I will choose proactive every time.

Again, Brendon, Thank you for your comments and I look forward to many more discussions in the future.

bsommerhalder

Thanks for your response Mr. Martin, always appreciate the dialogue.

To your point #1, I inferred from your post that you believed we had exhausted the negotiating process. Re-reading it alongside your comments here, it might be more accurate to say, “back to the table for a few more negotiations, and failing that, *then* arbitration”. Is that more accurate? If so, I’ll toss up an update clarifying your position, and apologize for misrepresenting it.

To your point #2, although it wouldn’t have hurt for candidates to make a statement about the strike generally (this problem is indicative of a larger problem with Metro Transit that I as mayor would address — something like that), I still don’t see comments on the negotiation itself to be particularly helpful, especially with so much information left unknown to the public. (In fact, a statement about how poor the communication has been around the negotiations would also have been welcome!)

But what is politics without some disagreement.

Again, appreciate your comments.
bsommerhalder

Also, would love to hear your responses to the series of questions after that paragraph in question.

Trish

Sorry to disagree with you..because for the most part I agree with the things you post…but with this matter the public has been quick to judge the aspects of the strike..without knowing and understanding the facts…i have followed this whole situation since the beginning…as I know Tom has..to me as a citizen who’s been following the political travesty that our current mayor has brought upon us continuously…that’s not to say that some other members of city hall aren’t also at fault…i will say…it says a hell of a lot about someone who’s planning on being the next mayor..and they can’t even make valid comment on the current transit strike that’s held the citizens hostage and at odds with one another…that to me shows lack of confidence and commitment and let’s not forget transparency….so because Tom gave his view on the transit strike…shows he’s honest and confident and in no way fears his ideas or decisions….because he has halifax best interests at heart…and shows us to always ask4more….furthermore the fact that savage hasn’t even attempted to release a platform says to me he’s not In this race anyway…with regards to the others…keeping silent on huge issues that plague our city shows there’s no transparency….because everyone…i don’t care who you are….everyone in this city has an opinion on the transit strike…and if the ones running for mayor didn’t want to comment because they weren’t sure on all details….well….shame on them….because it’s been going on for over a month..and this race started long ago…they should of got educated on the details…my 14yr old daughter understands the strike details….
Fat Apollo

“I won’t fault the other candidates for not coming out in support of a specific solution.”

Oh man, is there any way you can be more of a shill for Savage?