Oh we will find out the losses with the next financial report during the first board meeting following the strike. Its an entire month of end of year field trips and regular visits plus any group days. That's a big loss. No way savings on the wages for the month will make up for the losses in attendance, food, gifts and rides.
Back to the bargaining table they go tomorrow. Striking Toronto Zoo workers concerned about animal welfare, ready to resume negotiations
Fingers crossed this strike finally ends. May's attendance is a complete write-off, but if they make a deal tomorrow maybe they can salvage June.
Its is about bloody time that Board gets over their reserves and commit themselves to negotiating a deal with zoo staffers and Union.
A tentative deal between the union and management has finally been met after nearly 24-hours of continuous bargaining. A vote among union members will happen over the weekend. Toronto Zoo, striking workers reach tentative deal: CUPE 1600
Toronto Zoo released their own press release on the tentative deal. Pretty much sums up the article I posted earlier, but they also thanks the exempt employees that worked extra hard in caring for the animals during the strike. Toronto Zoo | Press Releases
Glad they have hammered something out. Let's get the keepers back and doing what they do best. Then the rest of us can get in and enjoy the place we love.
Small board meeting June 12, so the CEO can verbally give the Board Committee on update on the tentative deal, that'll will hopefully be a full fledged deal. From what I've read from different articles, here and there, if the deal is accepted by the union members, the zoo is hoping to be reopened within the time frame of 24-48 hours. They're hoping for a mid-week opening the latest.
Shouldn't take too long once the deal is in place to get the place back up and running. The biggest concerns would probably be guest related. They would need to clean and clear the kitchens for the restaurants. Who knows if management had time to take care of expired food. Some of it would be good still in freezers but most fresh stuff would be garbage after a month. A big restocking of the restaurants would likely be needed. The next biggest concern would probably be the rides. The zoomobiles, zip line, and carousel haven't been used in a month so they probably just need a once over by mechanics to make sure they are still good to go. Other than that all I can think they need to worry about is a good cleaning of public areas. I can't see there being too many big animal related concerns. It's not like they are not being fed and given medical care. Exhibits are being cleaned. Keepers will probably give exhibits a good deep cleaning since management probably went to bare minimum cleaning standards. They will probably inspect the exhibits very closely too to ensure over the last month that there has been no damage which could lead to escape or injury. Other than that the animals just need to get used to seeing guests again. Shouldn't take much.
The delay in the orang outdoor might be somewhat significant. They had been working on crate training for the gaur with the hopes of a mid may move to Parc Safari. It might depend on how much training was able to be done by managers and how much retraining will be needed. Plus rescheduling for shipment will be needed and as the days get hotter the less likely it will be that the gaur will leave the zoo before fall. Although the gaur could be moved elsewhere on site if necessary like the old wisent exhibit. But if they were scheduled to move mid May, Parc Safari keepers would possibly have already been onsite getting to know the girls and they plus their own vet may have been able to assist the shipper to get them on the move. I have my doubts that would have happened as Toronto keepers would have gone to Parc Safari for a week or two to help the girls transition. The zoo might have been willing to forgo that though just to reduce the demand on management. I know it's only two gaur but they are big animals with bigger demands than little animals. Without the strike demo might have already taken place. However as of the strike the zoo had not posted a job offer for construction of the exhibit so any real construction this year might have already been out. A contractor would need to have been selected already if any significant progress would be made this summer and fall. Because it's outside winter would rule out most construction except on the indoor portion to connect the inside exhibit to the outside exhibit. Boy I wish they had posted the job offer already so we would have some clue how that connection will happen.
I was talking to my brother today about the general loss the zoo will be facing because of this strike, and he informed me of something I was unaware of. The zoo plans on doing reimbursing members for the time they loss because of the strike. the exact amount is to be determined once the strike is officially over. Because of this the zoo is actually in a position to lose even more money once the strike is over. Below is a excerpt of the post in question. "To our members, once we are re-opened to the public, we will assess a fair and equitable compensation for the time lost during this period on your membership."
They do stand to lose more by compensating members but the question might be how many members will take them up on that reimbursement? Many members see their membership fees as a donation to the zoo and may be less inclined to take them up on their offer. I can see compensation coming a number of ways. Most likely we will see an extension of membership for one month beyond the expiration date which realistically has zero real impact. They would just tell those at the gates to allow them in one month beyond expiration until next June. People would just be buying their renewal one month later. Or maybe provide members with free parking for awhile. It will cost them but it would make members happy. They could also look at just upping the discount on food and shopping. Instead of 10% maybe give 15% for the rest of the year. But that would have a financial impact so I think its less likely. Or they could offer free zip line and carousel rides and climbing on the rope course for a period of time but that would be costly too. Least likely would be an actual refund. And for people like Cypher who needed to renew I think there is little doubt they will honour the 15% discount on renewal for those who needed to during the course of the strike.
The union has ratified the agreement. The board meets tomorrow to vote themselves. The zoo could be reopened as early as Thursday. Toronto Zoo workers vote in favour of proposed contract | Toronto Star
So far so good. Let's hope the zoo board makes the right decision and don't screw this up for everyone.
Oh Cypher you are optimistic. I wonder if they will even have enough board members show up to pass the agreement since doing the job they volunteer for seems to be optional for many of the board members. I'm still not impressed four members didn't show up last time without the media being given a reason for any of the absences during such critical talks.
Yeah, my optimism has slowly faded this last month. First was with the strike even happening in the first place. Second was with boards useless attempt to fix the situation, voting to continuing trying to strong arm the staff. Third with the Board members that were a no show at the previously mention board vote. And I'm sure there's other instances that have ticked me off during all this. I just hope that nothing has happen to the animals that were found out were pregnant and haven't given birth yet, as in the Rhinos.
I don't think there is much risk to many of the pregnancies. The only high risk pregnancy I can think of is Indian rhino Asha. If management was not able to maintain the drug protocol with her that assisted in Nandu's safe birth then miscarriage could be a risk. I don't know how the drug has to be delivered and if trust is involved for something like a shot. If its just a pill then they just have to get her to swallow it in food so its not as tricky potentially. Hopefully all is well on that front. Her calf isn't due until January. That same protocol could also be being used on the white rhinos too. The only other animal who could be pregnant and might be a high risk pregnancy would be zebra Tori and I don't think Jake has been paired with the girls since Rey was born last year. All other pregnancies would proceed as normal. I don't know of any other high risk mothers. Honestly I can't think of any other known pregnancies other than the rhinos just the potentials like river otters, sakis, orangs and pygmy hippo. The other vulnerable babies would be anything that is in an incubator waiting to hatch. They too need special care but honestly none of us would know if they did or didn't survive because reptile and bird births are far less promoted. I don't think many bird eggs get pulled for incubation anyway. The only one I can think of the zoo choosing to pull for incubation would be the marabou storks since George likes to toss the eggs from the nest. Penguins aren't an option now as its not breeding season but they too are incubated if needed. There are probably lots of reptiles and amphibians incubating. Who knows about fish and bugs. Another thing we don't really consider is the plant collection. Who knows what is happening in the greenhouse without experts there carefully caring for the plants.
Seeing media reports, the board has ratified the new labour agreement. According to the zoo's FB page, the zoo will reopen Thursday at 9am!
