Calgary News Watch

While the loom and doom of this year’s transit strike may well be averted, certainly the bitterness left over from the long 11 month battle will not go away so easily. All is not settled yet; if the union members don’t vote to accept the contract, they can once again give 72 hours notice.

The question remains, what has been learned by all this? In 2001, transit workers went on strike for 49 days. This time was a close call, and may still be.

Negotiations, if effective, should not allow contract talks to reach this boiling point.

As you recall, the beginning of the month brought ads in newspapers with each side slamming the other in turn– a prime example of a toddler’s “She hit me first” excuse. Read the rest of this article »

There is hope on the horizon. The possibility of a transit strike may be averted.

The city and the transit union have potentially reached a deal. The two have hashed out a deal this Wednesday, May 30, after two and a half days of talks.

It wouldn’t be voted on until Friday afternoon. The strike was voted on and scheduled to start on Friday. Union officials will unveil the new proposal to the 2,400 workers, mechanics and office staff Thursday.

Mike Mahar, president of the union, isn’t letting any of the details out of the bag until the workers have seen the proposal. Read the rest of this article »

Talk about losing your appetite! The Bodies Human, a cadaver show would not qualify as pre-dinner or even first-date material, but is far more realistic than the current horror flick.

The show will display plasticized real corpses in a variety of poses and dissection. (Bring a spare bag just in case.)

The show will open in Calgary in 2008, at the Telus World of Science, brought to you by Texan Michael Churchman. His display is similar and inspired by a German developed one. Despite it’s grim sounding subject, Churchman expects the display to attract thousands. Read the rest of this article »