No problems on GO

I took the 6:35 GO train out of Burlington this morning and found the crowd to be a little thinner than usual -- perhaps commuters anticipated the strike continuing through to Monday and made alternate arrangements? It just didn't seem as crowded as usual.
Carol Coles

10:30am: All quiet

Toronto streets were quiet this morning with even the thump of springtime joggers feet hitting the pavement audible because the surprise weekend TTC strike has stilled the rumble of streetcars and buses and the roar of subway trains.
Even crime was quietened, Toronto police said.
“Nothing major … nothing going on. There were no major incidents, it was really quiet.” said a Duty Desk sergeant at the College St. headquarters.
Premier Dalton McGuinty will table back-to-work legislation this afternoon in a rare emergency Sunday session of the Legislature, in which all three parties are expected to vote in favour of forcing 9,000 striking members of the Amalgamated Transit Union back on the job.
Failure to abide by the law would result in hefty fines for the union.
Tess Kalinowski and  Robert Benzie with  files from Carmen Chai

Quiet in club land

With a sudden TTC strike holding people dependent on public transit hostage, there was a distinct possibility business in the city’s Entertainment District would be slow.

Would people bother to come down? More importantly, would people be able to safely catch a cab home? Would girls still wedge their feet into impossibly high heels, faced with the prospect of hoofing it home?

By 9:30 p.m., patios across Queen St. W. - the strip bordering the north side of club land’s core - were filling up. People walked the streets in small groups. Noticeably absent was the clatter of the 24-hour streetcar that usually ferries hundreds of club goers through the city’s core.

Getting out of a cab at the corner of Queen St. W. and Soho St. were sisters Kate Daley, 24, and Shelagh, 23.

“I was going to drive, but didn’t think there’d be any parking,” Kate said. The pair came in from Etobicoke, “so it’s an inconvenience that the TTC went on strike,” Shelagh added.

The sisters didn’t have any problems catching a cab to get downtown. Their first stop for the night was a house party, the second a bar in the Queen St. W. and Dufferin St. area. They don’t expect to have trouble getting home when the clubs close.

“I think it will be the same,” Kate said. “When the bars get out, there’s always a run for cabs.”

Walking along Richmond St. W. was Oliver Crabbe, with a trio of friends. The group took the GO bus from Oakville to Union Station, and had to walk and skateboard to the club district.

“We had to walk like crazy,” Crabbe said. “Normally, we just hop on the subway and zip down here.”

By 11 p.m., line-ups outside the city’s clubs were starting to grow, but for a relatively balmy night, weren’t that big.

“It’s obviously going to be slow tonight,” said Victor Borges, 26, a promoter for Republik Nightclub, on the corner of Widmer St. and Richmond St. W. “It’s 11 o’clock. Usually it’s pretty busy by now,” he said, pointing at the line outside the club.

Borges said he’s not surprised some people would decide to stay home because of the strike, noting the cost of cab rides to the Entertainment District from outlying regions of the GTA.
“It affects a lot of people,” he said.

On an average Saturday night, between 60 and 70 police officers are on patrol in the club district. Staff Sgt. John Boyce, with 52 Division, said the majority of people who come down to the club district typically come by cab, private limo, or bus.

"There were no problems here last night, and we don’t expect any problems tonight," he said late Saturday.

"People may have to be a bit patient, but eventually they will get a cab."

- Emily Mathieu

Talks break off

Talks have concluded between the TTC and its largest union.
It will be up to the province to legislate the 9000 workers back to the job by Monday morning. The talks failed today, because the union was looking at a number of amendments to the tentative settlement reached last Sunday, a TTC spokesperson said.
Brad Ross wouldn't say what kind of amendments the union was looking for.

Tess Kalinowski

Boisterous TFC fans improvise in style

Where the streetcars should have been, the merry band of reds rolled west on King Street in a double-decker.

Stopping at one pub after another, the bus filled with fans en route to the soccer match.

Some tipsy, almost all dressed in Toronto FC colours, they shouted their appreciation for a team that did for them what the TTC could not.

“This is our bus,” they chanted, then, with their hands, smacked a staccato on the side of the bus. “This is our bus!”

Drivers of cars and SUVs on King St. honked in response.

“We think this is wonderful that the club will do this,” said fan Arnaz Jasumani, sitting in the upper deck. “When you look at a cashier who stands for five or six hours getting $8 an hour, and then at the (TTC) booth collector making $30 an hour ..... it’s disgusting.”

Asif Rashid, 31, a season ticket holder, said he was grateful for the bus.

“We were walking toward the field. Normally we take the subway, then grab the streetcar. I’m so annoyed at the TTC,” he said. “We saw this bus full of fans. They made the day brighter.”

Brett Kane, 25, who described himself as a “superfan” and volunteer working on behalf of the team, said TFC asked him to help organize the bus tour and to run into each pub along the route to gather up fans needing a lift.

The stops included: Jack Astors. Elephant & Castle. The Wheat Sheaf. Foggy Dew.

“(The team) knew there’s a lot of people who take public transit to go to the game. TFC wanted to make sure they could go,” said Kane, who was wearing a Danny Dichio jersey.

Then, cued by a raucous fan sitting at the front of upper deck, the fans start singing “When the reds go marching in” as people shopping and walking in and out of cafés on King St. W. stopped to watch.

Retirees John Hampton and Tony Hull, who went to the same university in England 40 years ago, were giddy.

“We happened to be sitting in the pub. Someone said ‘Free bus.’ Fabulous!” said Hampton, bedecked in a red hat, scarf and jersey. “What happened (Friday) night was disgusting. Originally the (TTC workers) were going to give 48-hours notice. They gave no notice.”

As the bus approached the next pub, fans stood up while keeping their heads low to avoid the streetcar wires, and started shouting, “Free bus!”

Others started singing “Oh, Danny Dichio -”

“He scored the (club’s) first goal at home in the 24th minute,” Hampton explained. “We can make a song for anything.”

Then the crowd started chanting, “This is our bus! This is our bus!”

David Bruser

Bob Kinnear has surfaced

Bob Kinnear has surfaced - at least on paper. The ATU just issued a press release saying,
"We are doing everything we can to resolve this dispute in line with our members' decision to reject the settlement. We will continue to attempt to reach a negotiated agreement."
Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter

TTC negotiations begin

Union officials are said to be meeting now at the same hotel in Richmond Hill where negotiations have been going on all month.
But they're not expected to say anything publicly.
Tess Kalinowski
Transportation Reporter

Inside the Galleria

11:30 a.m.
"As far as them going on strike, I think they could have waited for the evening shift to be over," said Bob Herbert, 57.
"The union wants sympathy but they aren't going to get sympathy this way," he said.
With him was Kirk Xepappas, 57, who sells sports memorabilia in the mall.
"Don't forget to say most of the people were asleep..." he said.
Xepappas was driving his wife to work this morning in the Don Mills and Lawrence area and saw lines of people waiting for the bus at Eglinton Ave.
"I had to roll down the window and tell them there was a strike."
Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter

Galleria parking lot

11:20 a.m.
"I would like very much if they were told they cannot strike anymore," said Rita Leger, 79.
Leger uses the TTC about twice a day. She is in good health "but it does put a lot of people at risk," she said.
She said workers have the right to strike, but it will take a toll on people who rely on the service to get to and from work.
Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter

Dufferin and Dupont

11:10 a.m., Galleria Mall
News of the strike came as a shock to people trying to go about their day.
"I was waiting for the bus for 20 minutes said Kannan Subbu, standing at the bus stop with wife Kanchana and son Nirmalram, age 6.
The frustrated father said last week he was closely watching strike discussions.
"Last week we were prepared...," he said. "I promised my son I was going to take him to the zoo," he said.
The TTC is his family's only method of transportation.
"Interruption of such service with no notice is totally unacceptable."
Emily Mathieu
Staff Reporter