There has been a continuous public outcry towards the civil workers from CUPE Local 79 and TCEU Local 416 since their collective strike put an immediate halt to several government funded services, including the weekly garbage pickup, as well as city-run daycares, recreation programming, park maintenance and applications for building permits. So I began to wonder how other eating establishments have been faring during the garbage strike and whether an effect on business has ever gone beyond permit-related strife, outside of course the grand sequestering lens on Toronto from the World Travel Watch.

The West End of town, beginning on Clinton with the Café Diplomatico

When I arrive inside, I am directed to a server named Danya to address my questions.

When did you first hear about the garbage strike?

“Immediately. The first day was brutal, because it was too late to get rid of the trash removal, but after that the restaurant wasn’t really effected.”

How did the mess get cleared every day?

“I’m not sure, the cook just told me not to worry about it and I didn’t ask any questions.”

Danya then procures Sofia the cook to come out to clear up the mystery:

“The café Diplomatico always uses private garbage collection, so we don’t rely on city workers, other than for the street bins out front. Everybody looks after themselves.”

I then ask both ladies if they bear any grudge against these civil servants:

Danya: “Well…”

Sofia: “Honest to God, I am just glad they are back and that is all I have to say for now.”

Which I take as both a defensive maneuver and a cue that she needs to get back to work, so I thank both women for their time and am in return warmly welcomed back to enjoy another meal at the Diplomatico anytime.

However, I find myself faced with similar aversion as a result of questioning a feeling of resentment towards these civil servants. I spoke to a manager at Sneaky Dees who had no comment on the issue and compensated during the strike with the use of a private company for six trash hauls a week; the manager of Lalibela, a restaurant named after a northern Ethiopian city that resides at Bloor and Ossington, seems reserved towards all of my questions and he too had hired private collection three times a week for his personal garbage. I travel further south on Ossington to BQM Burgershoppe only to receive a similar response from a waitress named Laura that tells me that the Burgershoppe has had multiple freelance propositions after already choosing their own service, but when I get around to the infamous grudge question, she slyly smiles and admits that “I may have some personal gratification now that they have to clean up all the garbage piles again, but I don’t really hold any grudge.”

Kensington Market:

Big Fat Burrito, located in the centre of Kensington market, serves arguably the best-rolled, crunchiest burrito in the downtown core. An employee named Meghan illuminates me on the situation in the market community during a prolonged strike.

How did the Big Fat Burrito handle the strike?

“Well at first one of the co-owners Mike, preoccupied with the new branch opening on Bloor and Bathurst, offhandedly told the management that we would be fine for the strike, which effectively left our manager Dave Clark in charge of our waste.”

So what did he do to clear the garbage?

“Well, lots of restaurants in the market, including the Moon Beam Café, the organic market across the street, the Kensington Grocery store and the owner of the Red Arrow bike shop got together every week and rented a large truck to take the garbage and organic waste and recycling to the Turtle Island Recycling Plant on Cherry Street. There may have been more contributors to the load but I’m not quite sure”

How did the system work? Did everyone lend a hand?

“Everyone sort of took turns. Paul from the Big Fat Burrito went every time, as did the owner of the Red Arrow, but the others were a revolving cast. I volunteered once as well because my coworkers were down on me for being a girl and not being able to take it, but it was fun to go on a paid field trip. The load really was gross though; the organic waste turns out to be pretty rancid!”

How much waste did that section of the market accumulate in one week?

“I went when we dropped off one and a half tonnes of organic waste. The truck drove on a scale loaded with the waste and people, was weighed, and then after we dumped the truck was weighed again, using the difference to calculate the charge.”

How much did the service cost in the end?

“Only around $150 when I went I think… definitely less than $200.”

I like that the market community seems to extend beyond the boundaries of every day business.

“Yeah, there is always a sense of community in the market, which really stood out during the strike. For example, we collaborated with Urban Herbivore and Wanda’s Pie in the Sky for trash storage: if we had more room at our place we would take some of their garbage and vice versa.”

Do you bear any sort of grudge towards the striking workers?

“They piss me off! I guess I hold a bit of a grudge, but not because of the strike. I just feel that the workers are so bitter about being off strike and being back to work that they aren't doing a very good job. I was woken up at 3am recently because garbage workers are picking up the garbage and actually tossing the large bins back at the houses. Why are you starting at 3am? They were so loud that I thought it was construction! And I’ve heard many stories of half garbage pickup, only taking one bin and not another, despite the city allowing unlimited pickup. I don’t feel as though they are happy to be back to work.”

Fran’s Diner:

On a particularly humid August afternoon, I bike east along College through some of the worst smells I have encountered during the strike; I end up behind an empty garbage truck and although it is empty and probably not recently used, the stench ahead increases tenfold. So when I arrive at Fran’s, I eagerly enter under the neon lights and am directed by a server to wait at the bar for Brian Morris, the manager of the College branch. When I sit down and tell him I would like to discuss the effect of the strike on the city restaurants, he says:

“I believe that this strike has had an effect on everyone, per se.”

Did the strike take you by surprise?

“No, I found out very quickly and had to arrange to have garbage pickup twice weekly; I considered clearing three times but found two to be satisfactory.”

Did any of your customers complain about the garbage?

“There was the inconvenience of the smell of garbage on the patio, which some customers did mention. I actually emailed Premier Dalton about the strike, because if you really want something, go right to the top.”

At what point of the strike was this?

“About three weeks in. I requested that he move to legislate the employees back to work.”

Did he even reply?

“Yes, I received a reply in a manner that implied that the province was ‘going to let this one play itself out.’ But there has really been fault on both sides of this debacle and this strike was mismanaged from start to finish.”

Do you know when the workers will start to pickup the city garbage? I saw a garbage truck outside but it was empty, so I’m unsure.

“I think they are starting curbside pickup today (August 4), but it will take a long time to clean up yet. The workers have to clean the pesticides used at garbage sites and power wash the streets at first, but there’s an entire process to go through and these are only the beginning steps to clearing away all the smell and clutter.”

The East End Danforth Strip, as represented by one Howard Lichtman.

I have been in fairly regular contact with Howard during the festival and asked him some similar questions in regards to the strike in the popular east-end strip. So, as any good media representative does, I am sent a very officious reply to all of my questioning, also disregarding any semblance of ill will:

“Throughout the garbage strike the Danforth was spotless. Dino the chair of the Greektown BIA and his committee acted immediately to ensure the streets were clean so it was a non issue. During the festival we use private garbage removal so again not an issue.”

No worries, no hassles, no problems at all for the Danforth strip, once again brought about through the privatization of garbage removal.

I find myself hesitant to comment further on this article myself: without any predisposed purpose, this article has wended its way into an argument towards the privatization of garbage removal and I am not knowledgeable enough on the ramifications of such a bold move. The issue should not resurface during the new three-year contract that the union has agreed to, but what happens then? Dear SB readers, I call upon you to educate me further on this issue and give your solid opinion on whether or not garbage pickup should become privatized after the new contract expires. Hit the comments!

Check this out Toronto, worse than ousting a president and dengue fever combined!