For some reason Sid Ryan could bring you a birthday cake and make you mad! He is just that kind of guy.
Sid Ryan, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), is coming to Windsor today, April 20/09, and will be joining a rally of striking city employees at 5pm. I can just imagine what he is going to say and how he will say it. Here now let me guess? LOTS of exaggeration, accusation and bombast.
My advice to striking employees, leave Sid at home, he won't help!
Unlike Gord Henderson of the Windsor Star, I won't be taking sides on this strike. I will be spending my time watching the members of council, especially Alan Halberstadt. The next election is almost around the corner. That is what makes this particular strike so interesting to outside observers like myself and so dangerous for city council members. Don't get me wrong, this strike is not good for Windsor, far from it. All folks like me can do is to try and expose angles not covered by the main stream media.
Back to city councillors and Sid Ryan.
There is no City Councillor better at protecting his own political interest while at the same time publicly weeping alongside Ward 3 and city taxpayers than Halberstadt. My money says Halberstadt will have the keenest political sense of where the votes are at. Right now of course it is with the taxpayer, but as the garbage mounts and lack of city services start to bother taxpayers the mood may shift and my guess is so will Halberstadt. Gosh he may even right a column for Biz X Magazine. Now that would be interesting, writing a column, getting paid for it while as a member of City Council, during a city employee strike. I wonder what Sid Ryan would think of that!
Then again Halberstadt may write the column pro bono or for free as most of us like to say.
Anyway I am keeping my eyes on this one.
