Reportedly there is only one sticking point left in the strike... minimum staffing levels. If that's the case come on just figure it out and open the zoo again. Toronto Zoo to remain shut during strike | Toronto Star
So, this one clause is all that's keeping the zoo closed? Not to mention that it's a clause that is already being met. The fact that management wants to get rid of this clause only leave me to believe they want to eventually cut job now or in the future.
It's hard to say what's really going on with the negotiations. The union says one thing. The zoo management another. I don't care what the problems are. Solve them and get the zoo open again. I don't even care if its open right away. Get keepers back to the animals right away. Many of the animals need their trusted keepers and some are at critical parts in their life cycle or breeding cycle.
True in that the Keeper need to get back to caring for the animals, especially with the pregnancies going on, as well as the recent births, all of which have yet to be publicly announced. It would be a real shame if the zoo loses any animals during this time of strike. Hopefully none of that happens, because if any animal death become known to the public, because of the strike, it's bad press for everyone.
The Toronto Zoo Keeper twitter account posted this Radio snippet of an interview with Christine McKenzie, who is a zookeeper and president of CUPE Local 1600. Very insightful, and I gotta say, I agree with her. Zoo workers on strike
I thought that the zoo strike does not interfere with critical animal care nor standards of operation. So, no worries there.
Apparently there have been no talks since last week. Definitely disappointing that neither side seems to want to work things out. Tory calls on striking zoo workers and management to return to table
With Torontos master plan there were rumors of them exhibiting proboscis monkeys. Is this still in the plans?
According to some twitter posts the two sides are resuming negotiations this afternoon. Let's hope a resolution can be reached.
Let's hope indeed.This is their weekend to start the summer off strong. Loosing Victoria Day weekend would be a blow to revenue. Toronto Zoo, striking staff head back to the table | Toronto Star
Looks like the Toronto Zoo Board had to create an additional meeting for May 19 to receive an "Update on Collective Bargaining Negotiations". The fact that has taken so long is discouraging. The zoo is going to take a big hit in revenue because of something that seems like a no brainier.
Here's an article questioning whether to zoo should be open again. Why bother re-opening Toronto Zoo? | Toronto Star
The usual idiots' claims who live in cuckoo land and have no concept of the forces driving species extinctions and destruction of wildlands, theirs does not offer any solutions and is a mere smokescreen for some delusional pretence that without zoos all would be will. Reality is, it is far from that. Lest becoming somewhat infuriated: Why do serious newspapers' even bother reporting this is beyond me. Any good factual based paper should do better and completely ignore these sentiments forthwith and look at the wider relevance of both zoos and conservation and what needs to be done. Overall and in reality, the media themselves are to blame for the destruction of the natural world and our only Planet Earth from being higher up the agenda than stuff like terrorism, drugs trade, unemployment and economic misfortunes' of the human kinds.
Interesting how one can write an article and have virtually no information at all from either side of the matter. Yes some say zoos are bad. No proof was provided to support their side. Not that I care to read their opinions anyway. But at the same time the reporter totally failed to produce evidence supporting the zoo. Sure ignore the fact if the zoo wasn't involved in key breeding programs for numerous Canadian species they would be extinct. It also annoys me when they don't even get the facts they have correct. "polar bears Aurora and Juno were orphaned cubs with no where to go." It's Aurora and Nikita. Juno isn't an orphan she's just a cub who would have died in the wild within days of birth like her brother and she doesn't even live at the zoo anymore. Ugh... some people need to learn how to be reporters.
I sadly agree cypher. I get a little nervous with the appearance of political fighting around the zoo as well.
