AUDIO about Direct Action posted on February 12, 2012 by Miles Howe

The Wheels on the Bus...

City buys anti-striker ads, ATU Prez suggests arbitration

by Miles Howe

» Download file 'kenwilson1.mp3' (3.5MB)

Ken Wilson. Photo: Miles Howe

HALIFAX — With Atlantic Transit Workers (ATU) Local 508 out on strike and CUPE 227, representing the Halifax Regional Water Commission employees, in a legal strike position, a solidarity rally was held by the Halifax-Dartmouth District Labour Council today at Grand Parade Square in Halifax. Despite treacherously icy conditions afoot, the rally was well attended, including a giant effigy of Peter Kelly.

Talks between the city and the ATU appear to be as frozen as the landscape, and ATU president Ken Wilson is of the opinion that arbitration, at this point, would garner local 508 a better offer than what is currently on the table.The city, for its part, unleashed this weekend a (taxpayer-funded) ad campaign aimed squarely against the striking transit workers.

Please enjoy the following conversation with Ken Wilson, President, ATU Local 508.

Ken Wilson is slated to speak about the ongoing transit workers strike as part of a panel event on Wednesday, February 22. "The State of Our Unions: Tales from the trenches of labour in Nova Scotia" will take place at Just Us! Café on Spring Garden Road in Halifax, 6:30-9pm, and will be hosted by the Halifax Media Co-op. For details, visit: http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/events/9883