photo by Jacklyn Atlas
On Facebook, there is the unique feature of a person’s “status” which usually states what a person is either thinking or doing. Going through my friend’s status updates over the last 24 hours shows a real disdain for the TTC union’s strike (and I have a fairly liberal and progressive group of friends). Here is a listing on their feelings (the X’s have replaced their names for privacy reasons). Feel free to add other status updates that you’ve been amused by.
XXXXXX says dont’ fear, TTC strike to be over by Monday morning.
XXXXXX says fuck the ttc union. One hour’s notice? Privatize the TTC.
XXXXXX says that a strike is the equivalent of a two year old holding their breath to get their way… GROW UP and GET YOUR ASSES BACK TO WORK! TTC sucks ass.
XXXXXX is looking for her bike helmet. And not because she wants to.
XXXXXX is afraid he’s got an affliction of Thatcherism when it comes to the TTC. Not healthy!
XXXXXX thinks what we’ve gotta do now is create a society where no group of people have too much bargaining power — we gotta even it all out, y’know?
XXXXXX is walking, much like the rest of Toronto.
XXXXXX thinking it’s ironic her good news is TTC-related
XXXXXX Woke up to discover that there’s a transit strike on. There’s gonna be a lot of angry people in Accordion City today.
XXXXXX is pro union… but not pro stupid union that leaves thousands without a way to get home at midnight with a one hour notice. What happened to 48 hours!?!
XXXXXX detests the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113.
XXXXXX : OMG, TTC, WTF!?
XXXXXX is having his union sympathies severely vexed by ATU 113.
XXXXXX says boooo to the ttc tonight.
XXXXXX has never been more grateful to be at home on a Friday night. Whew.
XXXXXX is not impressed with the TTC right now!
XXXXXX says my heart goes out to you, stranded Toronto.
XXXXXX says lets strike the TTC. Imagine how they would crumble if we all stopped using their system?
XXXXXX is glad to be in a city where the transit system is functioning!!!!!
XXXXXX thinks if they strike they should picket, that’s the deal.
XXXXXX suggests that Kinnear is a grandstanding douchebag and his chickenshit Local 113 plays dirty pool at the expense of those who pay their way: us.
XXXXXX sees parallels between a TTC-less Toronto and Don McKellar’s “Last Night.”
XXXXXX is in NYC but had dreams about TTC strike. Wonder if that awful streetcar driver was already on strike yesterday morn.
XXXXXX is really glad he doesn’t rely on the TTC.
XXXXXX is walking, thanks to the TTC. Walking is good.
XXXXXX really hates the TTC!!!!!
11 comments
Wow, Matt, you and I have even more mutual friends than I realized. That said, here are some that I have and you don’t (as well as your own and that of at least one person whose status has been updated since you posted it):
XXXXXX is torn on the TTC strike. Shutting out working class commuters on the fly: bad. Rejecting union brass’s negotiations and thus authority: good.
XXXXXX in solidarity w/ Toronto walked from Soho to Central PK up 5th Ave this aft. But now A & F train to Chelsea/Lower East Side Ish.
XXXXXX is shocked the National Post had zero coverage of the TTC strike in the weekend paper.
XXXXXX is not going to the island tonight :(.
XXXXXX sez: “Bun David Miller. Give the workers what they want!”
XXXXXX is delighted that someone found her blog by typing “fuck the TTC” into a search engine.
XXXXXX is blogging the transit strike at spacing.ca/toronto.
XXXXXX needs the strike to be over before Tuesday, or else he will shed blood.
XXXXXX is loving this journalistic gem: ‘”If you want $30/hr, go to university,” reads the spray paint at Union Station. Beneath it is a crude drawing of a penis.’
XXXXXX pretty cheesed about her TTC strike provoked suburban isolation.
XXXXXX is going to see if she can buy a bike today.
XXXXXX wants to organize the public against the TTC. Who’s with me?
XXXXXX : there is a difference between the TTC and the ATU, folks. This shit is all on the Union.
XXXXXX thinks that if the TTC is worried about abuse, this was not the right course of action.
XXXXXX define “apparatchik.”
XXXXXX is Ttc Strike grr we are all playing the waiting game we are like pawns on a chess board until its all over.
XXXXXX is within walking distance of everything.
XXXXXX is so disappointed in the TTC union. They screwed so many people tonight.
XXXXXX TTC Strike … *sigh* Tomorrow is going to be annoying.
XXXXXX is wishing he had a bike, but would have no idea what to do with it.
XXXXXX not impressed.
XXXXXX has never been happier to be a cyclist.
XXXXXX is ARGH FUCK YOU TTC.
XXXXXX is so angry he could eat the dirt.
XXXXXX is glad she has a bike.
XXXXXX is pissed about the TTC strike.
XXXXXX hopes that people didn’t get stuck tonight because of the ttc strike.
XXXXXX reminds you that unions are what brought us the WEEKEND & stuff. If you don’t have the right to withdraw your work, what rights do you have?
XXXXXX wants to know what happened to the 48 hour notice, huh TTC? Why you gotta strike like that?
XXXXXX isn’t going to say it for fear of being repetitive.
XXXXXXX wonders where all the TTC ravers went? Remembering the summer of 1997….
XXXXXXX loves the TTC.
XXXXXXX – just when I thought it was over…..ughhhh, preparing for Monday.
XXXXXXX just bought a bike! eat that TTC.
XXXXXXX bought a brand new bike again because someone stole it last year and the TTC went on strike.
XXXXXXX is thinking about the ttc strike, and how she won’t be able to collect 366 of the tranfsers… ohnoes!
XXXXXXX says boo to the TTC strike.
I don’t condone a violent protest but after that BS they pulled Friday night why don’t we start a grassroots protest “PAY WITH PENNIES”!!!! It’s valid currency, as far as I know there is no policy against it and it will fill their collections boxes and just be a general pain in the a$$, and I doubt they will actually stop to count it all, that would just mean more work for them and we all know how bloody lazy they are now! Starting Monday PAY WITH PENNIES – PAY WITH PENNIES – PAY WITH PENNIES!!!!
Just a comment on the National Post having no coverage: their press time is earlier than the other papers (they’re printed in the same plant as the Star) so they wouldn’t have had the same opportunity.
I’m really not impressed with local 113, the unions see capital funding to expand a very much needed service being announced over the past year, and they try to soak it up in pay hikes before it can be put to any real use at all. I’m sorry, but it’s completely unacceptable to pull shit like this, the TTC is losing whatever respect it had. If they don’t like their jobs, they should quit and find something else. Job security does not exist  IT NEVER HAS AND NEVER WILL!
I am an advocate of public transit, but when it puts us in the hands of a bunch of idiots and assholes like this, I say piss off, someone else can fill your shoes and do a better job.
it’s really interesting that this strike (and the manner in which it was carried out) has provoked all these expressions of solidarity, but solidarity *against* the union/ttc. it’s a funny reversal and maybe a watershed moment in the relationship between torontonians and transit. i also wonder about the effects of apps like facebook (and blogs like this one) in galvanizing public opinion, versus the old-fashioned newspaper “letter to the editor”.
I’ve changed my facebook status to “XXXXXXX says F U, A.T.U.!”
Jeff wrote: i also wonder about the effects of apps like facebook (and blogs like this one) in galvanizing public opinion, versus the old-fashioned newspaper “letter to the editorâ€Â.
That was part of my motivation in looking at the “status” feature on FB and making this post. I was surprised at the venom some of my most liberal friends expressed.
new additions:
Adam Giambrone is relieved to have seen his first operating streetcar in 2 days! Thanks everyone for your understanding this last two days!
XXXXXX Will be getting her money back, striking against the TTC, and going to the Anti-Union Rally at Union Station with the Regenesis Group.
XXXXXX is happy those ttc chuds are back to work.
XXXXXX says there’s nothing like a ttc strike to remind me how awesome cycling is.
XXXXXX wants to work for the TTC