My Tiny Tory

This is so funny - this was sent in an Easter care package from Mike's parents - it says "I'm a Tiny Tory." We howled when we opened it up! He's ready for his next meeting!

He's going to turn NDP in his rebel teen years, I just know it. Not sure how he feels about the Conservatives now. I imagine he's pro-life - I think that's probably the big issue in the infant wing of the party - but I like to think he's in favour of gay marraige, so the whole social end is a little off for him right now.

Mike had yesterday afternoon off, so we went to hang at the mall for a while. John had a blast. He was squealing away, laughing at the people walking past. You'd think I never take him places. We took him to the pet store - his favourite store, by far. He had a good time playing with a cocker spaniel puppy - they were pawing at each other through the glass. No puppies for John, though. Mike wants a dog-free life. I think that will change - in a few years, it will be two or three against one. John liked the kittens, too. And the blue fish- he was totally captivated by the little blue fish.

The convention did derail Mike's anti-smoking campaign a bit, but I think the events of today will spell its doom for some time.

I have good news, and I have bad news, from Mike's job. The good news is, Mike just got a raise for his one year anniversary - a buck an hour, with another buck added every six months from now on. Not too shabby.

The bad news is, he's on strike. Yup, just like that. Out of nowhere. They went on work-to-rule yesterday, which is why he had the afternoon off. They put all training off limits, and he was scheduled for a training session. He got all the way there and the union told them all to leave. However the rules state that a worker needs so many hours notice to have a shift cancelled, so all these guys were flooded onto the job board. Mike offered to take the day off, so there wouldn't be such a huge surplus of workers. They have to pay four hours for a cancelled shift anyway, so they told him to work the four, then go home.

Today, he got a call from his manager that talks broke down and a strike had started. The union set a strike deadline of April 9. However, management felt they were being pushy and uncooperative, so they left the table. So, the union decided to strike immediately - that was 11 a.m. This was all from his manager, not from the union, so Mike decided to go about his day until he was ordered otherwise. He went to leave for work as unual at 1, but his van wouldn't start. He had to get it towed to the company's garage. While he was there, he got the official paige to stop working. So, now his van is basicly impounded, which he's not too happy about. His manager is stopping by in the morning for a quick chat and to pick up his tools. Totally against the union rules - he's not allowed to have any meetings with his manager without a union rep there to observe - but Mike doesn't care; he really likes his manager.

He's at a union meeting right now - I guess to get the picket schedule, go over strike pay and stuff like that. I'll post again tomorrow morning and let you know how things are going.

This probably derails my plans to come home with John. He said we'll have to see what happens at this meeting tonight, but I doubt the trip will happen now. He'll want to come, and will probably have the time, but the union bosses may not OK it, and the strike could end at any moment, so on a practical level, it would be difficult at best. Besides, even if he could come, he keeps insisting we drive and we don't have the money needed for gas and hotels for that. He managed to squeak through his convention for practically free, thanks to some unique circumstances and much sharing of resources, so we still have most of his convention money, but it still isn't enough for a long road trip like that. Besides - we kinda need it for the mortgage - we put a lot of creditors on hold for that stupid convention. Who's side gave him this complete lack of logic and reason? I mean, we have air miles. We can just GO, with little money needed, and ha can be back in less than a day if he gets called back to work. It just makes so much more sense to me. *sigh*

Anyway, I'll post again in the morning with another picture of John and a strike update! Exciting times!