Canada post strike update Nov 18, 2018

[Taureau]

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has rejected the latest contract offer from Canada Post, meaning that postal workers will continue to strike as the busy holiday season looms nearer.


“It doesn’t address our core issues,” CUPW national president Mike Palecek told CTV News Channel on Saturday. “We have issues of health and safety, of equality that have to be settled -- and our members gave us a very strong mandate to settle these issues.”


The offer was rejected well before a midnight deadline, with Palecek saying that it was not even worth putting to a union-wide vote

“Artificial deadlines are not going to help us settle a negotiated collective agreement,” Palecek said.


That means that the rotating strikes that began Oct. 22 will continue into the foreseeable future.


“We’re frustrated too,” Palecek said. “And in fact, we shouldn’t have to be here. Canada Post has been discussing these issues with us for years and they’ve refused to move on any of them.”


The dispute is creating uncertainty during one of the busiest times of year for the corporation -- and for Canadian shoppers. At least 600 Canada Post trailers are currently sitting idle with more than 1.5 million pieces of undelivered mail.


Without a settlement, that backlog is expected to grow.


“At our processing facility in Mississauga, which is our largest in the country, we’re looking at a backlog of over 400 trailers,” Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton added. “That’s trailers full of, at least (in) each one, 2,500 parcels and packets waiting to be processed and then delivered.”


That backlog has become so bad that Canada Post has even urged international partners to halt mail shipments to Canada -- an action that may force some Canadian business owners to explore other options.


Cory Krul is the owner of Cornelia Bean, a coffee and tea retail boutique in Winnipeg.


“If we need to take other means, then we’d do Canpar or UPS or some other way of getting product to our customers,” Krul said.


For others like Karen Pickles, who sells gift boxes online through her company Stresscase, it all might be too much.


“We’re heading into the Christmas spike right now,” Pickles said from a Calgary post office. “So hopefully the strike isn’t going to interrupt our business because it would kill us.”


Federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu has been in contact with both sides in the dispute and is urging them to come to a resolution.


Meanwhile, the Liberal government has been vague about what kind of action it is considering, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau only saying that “all options will be on the table.”


“We have a government that says they believe in collective bargaining,” Palecek of CUPW said. “We hope their patience would match those principles.”

 

[Taureau]

"A vote will take place when Canada Post presents offers that meet our demands for health and safety, gender equality and more full-time jobs," the union's national president Mike Palecek said in a separate statement.
Workload is at the heart of the dispute, because postal workers are delivering more and more packages, primarily because of internet shopping.

 

[Taureau]

Canada Post suspended delivery-time guarantees to its customers last Tuesday as it reported a 30-day delivery backlog resulting from the dispute.
The company has since asked its international partners to halt mail and parcel shipments to Canada. It said more than 600 trailers are now parked at Canada Post yards, waiting to be unloaded.

 

[Taureau]

In an interview with CBC News on Friday, Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton said the backlog is a record for Canada Post. He said each of the trailers contain an average of 2,500 parcels.
Decisions on how to end job actions by postal workers could come as early as Sunday, said a federal government source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that "all the options include legislating."

 

[animal-inside]

I'm probably going against the grain, but I support Canada Post workers in this. If you set aside the inconvience this causes you and understand the big picture, the workers deserve better. Canada Post itself is not a very good corporation to work for.

I honestly hate when ppl trash workers who go on strike. I've never in my life seen someone go on strike when there wasn't good cause.

I wish we would support our fellow lower and middle class workers. If we don't support then, what do you expect when you need support when you strike?

I have nothing in the Canada Post strike myself. My mother in law used to work for CP but has since left. I have nothing to gain from supporting them, but I support them because they are getting a shit deal.

 

[Bolton73]

I don't agree in bullying a company into giving you what you want. If you don't like what they offer as wages, etc, find another place to work

 

[Sorbate]

I'm probably going against the grain, but I support Canada Post workers in this. If you set aside the inconvience this causes you and understand the big picture, the workers deserve better. Canada Post itself is not a very good corporation to work for.

I honestly hate when ppl trash workers who go on strike. I've never in my life seen someone go on strike when there wasn't good cause.

I wish we would support our fellow lower and middle class workers. If we don't support then, what do you expect when you need support when you strike?

I have nothing in the Canada Post strike myself. My mother in law used to work for CP but has since left. I have nothing to gain from supporting them, but I support them because they are getting a shit deal.

Unskilled labour that makes far above standard pay. I don’t feel sorry for the average worker, but a lot of what is hpeneng right now is to help out the rural guys and gals.

Anyhow will tell you a cool little story about some spoiled union guys.
So Molson Canadian brought in a group of professional strike breakers to handle things at their Brewers Distribting plant in Edmonton by my shop. We got to know them very well, also I had numerous friends that worked at brewers.
To make a long story short, wages had been froze and some rolled backs after 9/11 but these guys still had full benefits, pension and were paid on average around $22 an hour. Drove a 5 ton in town, at home every night, always ran in pairs so a driver and swampier, had electric fork trucks to help unload, power tailgates, you know the works.
Well the union convinced them they deserved to be put back up, or given a raise. Plus the new guys coming in were not getting paid as much, lowered pensions.
So they went on strike. They got locked out and lost their jobs. Molsons contract was picked up by a local company.
Guess what the average in town driver made at the time? $11 and hour, no benefits, no pension, no swamper and I bet it would be a hand truck instead of a powder version.
I told my buddies not to be stupid, they were on a gravy train, don’t fuck themselves. They felt entitled. I actually felt bad for them for being so dislusional. They had big changes to make in their households losing 1/2 their pay.

Now not saying all unions or guys that work for unions are bad. But they need to realize that most have it pretty good. Better than average non union.

Not trying to start a fight, it’s good if you have it good, good for them for being smart and getting a great job, but I can’t relate to someone who strikes because they want more when they are doing better than the majority already.

 

[animal-inside]

I don't agree in bullying a company into giving you what you want. If you don't like what they offer as wages, etc, find another place to work

I sort of agree and sort of disagree.... Yes there's other job opportunities for some.. But some one like my mother in law who had 10 years left till retriement when this shit started, she really didn't have a lot of options.

Also, I disagree that companies should treat workers like shit to the point they "don't like what they offer as wages, etc, find another place to work"...

When my mother in law started at CP, before email, the business was doign ok and workers were treated decent. It's not highly skilled work, and they were paid accordingly. There was full time jobs and some benefits.

Then when internet came out, the amount of letters, bills etc just tanked. CP almost when bankrupt. Understandably, they cut hours, cut full time jobs down to part time to avoid paying benefits etc.. Some workers left, some workers held on like my mother in law b/c due to age it would be tough to do anything else. workers complained, but CP was on the verge of bankrupcy so there was not much anyone can do.

Now with on line shopping CP is doing better than they ever have. They are aking a killing in packages. The CP workers I talk to regularly say they've never been so busy. CP has also jacked the cost of packages as well.

This is great and CP is doing amazing, but CP has not given back hours, full time positions, benefits etc... This is one of the big issues right now. That and rural vs Urban mail deliviery. Rural workers are getting screweed.

Imagine working for a giant corporation, and they almost declare bankrupcy, so they have huge cut backs. You get your wage/hours/benefits cut, but you hold on... Then over a year or two, they are a booming company and your waiting for something to trickle down to you, but nope..

You'd be pissed too



For the record, I do not get along with my mother in law... She's retired from CP as well. I will never stick up for that old cow to anyone. But I got the low down from her and I also speak to CP workers regualary when I pick up my packages. We get probably 10 packages a week from on line shopping because we live in a rural area.

 

[animal-inside]

Unskilled labour that makes far above standard pay. I don’t feel sorry for the average worker, but a lot of what is hpeneng right now is to help out the rural guys and gals.

Anyhow will tell you a cool little story about some spoiled union guys.
So Molson Canadian brought in a group of professional strike breakers to handle things at their Brewers Distribting plant in Edmonton by my shop. We got to know them very well, also I had numerous friends that worked at brewers.
To make a long story short, wages had been froze and some rolled backs after 9/11 but these guys still had full benefits, pension and were paid on average around $22 an hour. Drove a 5 ton in town, at home every night, always ran in pairs so a driver and swampier, had electric fork trucks to help unload, power tailgates, you know the works.
Well the union convinced them they deserved to be put back up, or given a raise. Plus the new guys coming in were not getting paid as much, lowered pensions.
So they went on strike. They got locked out and lost their jobs. Molsons contract was picked up by a local company.
Guess what the average in town driver made at the time? $11 and hour, no benefits, no pension, no swamper and I bet it would be a hand truck instead of a powder version.
I told my buddies not to be stupid, they were on a gravy train, don’t fuck themselves. They felt entitled. I actually felt bad for them for being so dislusional. They had big changes to make in their households losing 1/2 their pay.

Now not saying all unions or guys that work for unions are bad. But they need to realize that most have it pretty good. Better than average non union.

Not trying to start a fight, it’s good if you have it good, good for them for being smart and getting a great job, but I can’t relate to someone who strikes because they want more when they are doing better than the majority already.

A lot of stuff like this happened with the oil field since oil crashed. Dbag's with very low skilled jobs got over paid 50x more than the job should have been, and they whined and complained and abused it.... Now they are out of work. company kept the ones who just went to work when they were supposed to, didn't complin and didn't abuse the system.


I do think you are off if the comment I put in bold is directed at CP workers.

My mother in law deleivered rural mail. She had to use her own car. She had to pay her own fuel/insurace. She was able to claim fuel/km's but the claims obiviously didn't cover the cost. They don't have great wages at all.

Anyways, She did the west side of town. Part time. Another lady did the East side of town. Part time. They both didn't get paid much either. They asked to make it one full time position. CP wouldn't do it becsue they didn't hve to pay benefits for part time position.

 

[BunkMass]

People who bash unions seem to forget what work was like before unions. My example here are paramedics cause that's what I'm familiar with. And in actuality we have a shit union which management loves. My Dad was a medic and we had many days where cereal was all we had to eat... Pre union.

 

[animal-inside]

People who bash unions seem to forget what work was like before unions. My example here are paramedics cause that's what I'm familiar with. And in actuality we have a shit union which management loves. My Dad was a medic and we had many days where cereal was all we had to eat... Pre union.

I agree with you... Unions were not started to make things worse. They were started back in a time when you'd work 15 hours a day 6 days a week and would still be dirt poor.

I fully acknowledge unions can get out of hand. I've witnessed 12 guys staring at a ditch and one guy using a shovel lol...

It's not the union that's bad in that case, its the people.

There will ALWAYS be people who use, work and abuse every thing they can including their union. But I don't think people who don't abuse it should be punished because of those who do.



I'll give you a good example.

Me and my wife are both teachers. We have a association, not a union. Its not as powerful as a union.

We have both been working in the same school division for over 10 years each. I have never taken more than 1 sick day a year. Most years I take 0 sick days. My wife is the same, until we had kids. She never took a sick day ever. She has had to take some days off for our kids doctors appointments/specialist appointments etc. But she did not abuse the contract to do that.

We work some terrible system abusers though. I've worked with teachers who never work a full work week ever. They take off either Monday or Friday every week without fail. These teachers attend every single possible funeral they can. They book as many medical appointments as possible. They make damn sure they get all their physio/eye appointments they are entitled too. They book massages during the work day etc.. They are terrible system abusers.

3 years ago the school board looked into the amount of teacher absences. It was staggering. I knew it would be bad, but when I actually read the report even I was shocked.

So the very next time our contract was up for renewal, we lost over 80% of our possible paid days off. And they cut somethings all together that would give a day off.

It was bitter sweet for me... I loved how the system abusers just got a slap in the face, but here I was a middle aged father of 2 kids (one had some medical issues that needed specialist already) and I was just hammered with the same contract. That 2 times I had to drive my daughter 6 hours to see a specialist when she was 6 months old would have cost me about 700$ with our new contract. All my family is across the other side of the country. If one of my brothers, sisters or parents becomes seriously ill, I will not be able to afford to see them before they pass away.

I'll admit I've had some pretty serious medical issues in the past 3 or 4 years. I'm actually seeing a neurologist now. Im getting my brain MRI results in a couple weeks. My life has been a bit of a train wreck in the last 2 years due to this. 2 times in the last year I've been offered medical leave from my job. I would be paid %100 in full for 3 months. Both times I declined because I knew although my days are awful and it takes me a lot more time and effort to do things for work, I was still able to work.

Back to our contract.. I have my fingers crossed my MRI will show something curable or treatable and at the very least somethign that isn't going to kill me or leave me in a wheel chair shitting myself.. But it was a really hard conversation that me and my wife had. If for example I need brain surgery, my wife can no longer take time off work to help me recover, visit me in the hospitial which would be 6 hours away from our home etc.. She cant take a day off work to bring the kids to come see me etc.. Our contract no longer allows for that, where as before she would be able to have a couple days pre/post surgery to help me. It was just a terrible conversation to try to make a 2 year plan together with my medical issues, 2 kids and this new contract. If I need to take off anymore than 3 months, we are basically going to live pay check to pay check and cross our fingers our vehicles don't need to get replaced. We live well within our means and have near zero debt aside from our mortagage so its not like we set ourselves up for failure either.

All because we had a bunch of teachers who abused our contracts anyway they possibly could and to the full extent.

I'll add that in the 5 years I've been going to doctors, specialist, physio therapist I've only ever taken off 2 days in those whole 5 years to get it done. Those 2 days were for specialists that pick your day to see them, not you give days to them that work for you.. So I had no choice.. I actually had my MRI done at 8:30 AM Sunday morning so I wouldn't miss work. I could have missed a lot of work for appointments, but I made them all for 3:45 pm or on one of the Fridays we have off work.

makes me mad just typing this up.. But again, unions didn't start so people could kick their feet up and do %50 less work and make %50 more money. They were started because work conditions were bad, pay was not any way fair, people were working themsleves to death for peanuts etc.. It's the abusers who wreck contracts, not unions.

 

[Onterrible]

I used to work at a car manufacturing plant (major one) and non union. Got injured and they treated me like shit and made me fight thrm to even get modified duties...

quit and now in a way better situation with a union that backs my labour rights.

I am much happier now.

 

[The Old Guy]

But again, unions didn't start so people could kick their feet up and do %50 less work and make %50 more money. They were started because work conditions were bad, pay was not any way fair, people were working themsleves to death for peanuts etc.. It's the abusers who wreck contracts, not unions.

As a former union member I agree with this 100%. Unions are really just another form of governance, as such there are loop holes that a small percentage of their population will find and abuse for their benefit. Funny thing is unions are based on a very communist belief that is to share the work and equal pay for all but as mentioned there is always those who will abuse the system to their own benefit with little regard how this will effect fellow members. Unions have improved working conditions across the board but have also protected lazy workers who would be on the outside looking in without the protection of the unions.

 

[The Old Guy]

I used to work at a car manufacturing plant (major one) and non union. Got injured and they treated me like shit and made me fight thrm to even get modified duties...

quit and now in a way better situation with a union that backs my labour rights.

I am much happier now.

A union position will almost always be more beneficial to the worker, the issue is that this has created a false economy that can not be propped up forever. Many of these government type jobs will need to be continually privatized or taxes will need to be increased, as people are already facing a cash crunch in increased cost of living something will have to give.

 

[Taureau]

Update
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



OTTAWA - The Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a request Saturday for the federal government to appoint a mediator in its contract talks with Canada Post, as it rejected the Crown corporation's latest offers.

Canada Post issued new, time sensitive, proposals last week aimed at reaching agreements with its approximately 42,000 urban employees and 8,000 rural and suburban carriers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in Saturday night with a last-minute plea to the two sides, just hours before the midnight deadline on the Crown corporation's offers expired. In a Twitter post, Trudeau cited the arrival of the holiday shopping season and urged both sides "to resolve their differences quickly and reach a deal."

But as the deadline on the offers passed, CUPW issued a statement that said it had responded "by presenting the Corporation with our own global offers that address our needs and demands."

The union also said that it had asked the government to appoint a mediator to help the two sides reach an accord after nearly a year of talks, adding "We believe that our proposals can be the basis of collective agreements."

CUPW had said on Friday that the new proposals from Canada Post made positive steps, but not enough to end the rotating strikes that have shut down postal operations in more than 200 communities, creating a huge backlog of undelivered mail. It said it would not bring the offers to a vote of its members, although both sides remained at the bargaining table.

On Saturday the Retail Council of Canada urged Ottawa to "bring an immediate end" to the rotating strikes through back-to-work legislation.

"Just as retail merchants, our workforce of two million and our customers enter the busiest time of year, the postal system is grinding to a near-halt," council president Diane Brisebois wrote in a letter to Trudeau.

Earlier in the week, eBay called on the government to legislate an end to the dispute in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events tied to the American Thanksgiving.

Trudeau said last week that "all options" would be on the table to end postal disruptions if there was no progress in bargaining.

A government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said decisions on how to end the job action by postal workers could come as early as Sunday, adding that "'all the options' does include legislating."

 

[Sorbate]

I agree with you... Unions were not started to make things worse. They were started back in a time when you'd work 15 hours a day 6 days a week and would still be dirt poor.

I fully acknowledge unions can get out of hand. I've witnessed 12 guys staring at a ditch and one guy using a shovel lol...

It's not the union that's bad in that case, its the people.

There will ALWAYS be people who use, work and abuse every thing they can including their union. But I don't think people who don't abuse it should be punished because of those who do.



I'll give you a good example.

Me and my wife are both teachers. We have a association, not a union. Its not as powerful as a union.

We have both been working in the same school division for over 10 years each. I have never taken more than 1 sick day a year. Most years I take 0 sick days. My wife is the same, until we had kids. She never took a sick day ever. She has had to take some days off for our kids doctors appointments/specialist appointments etc. But she did not abuse the contract to do that.

We work some terrible system abusers though. I've worked with teachers who never work a full work week ever. They take off either Monday or Friday every week without fail. These teachers attend every single possible funeral they can. They book as many medical appointments as possible. They make damn sure they get all their physio/eye appointments they are entitled too. They book massages during the work day etc.. They are terrible system abusers.

3 years ago the school board looked into the amount of teacher absences. It was staggering. I knew it would be bad, but when I actually read the report even I was shocked.

So the very next time our contract was up for renewal, we lost over 80% of our possible paid days off. And they cut somethings all together that would give a day off.

It was bitter sweet for me... I loved how the system abusers just got a slap in the face, but here I was a middle aged father of 2 kids (one had some medical issues that needed specialist already) and I was just hammered with the same contract. That 2 times I had to drive my daughter 6 hours to see a specialist when she was 6 months old would have cost me about 700$ with our new contract. All my family is across the other side of the country. If one of my brothers, sisters or parents becomes seriously ill, I will not be able to afford to see them before they pass away.

I'll admit I've had some pretty serious medical issues in the past 3 or 4 years. I'm actually seeing a neurologist now. Im getting my brain MRI results in a couple weeks. My life has been a bit of a train wreck in the last 2 years due to this. 2 times in the last year I've been offered medical leave from my job. I would be paid %100 in full for 3 months. Both times I declined because I knew although my days are awful and it takes me a lot more time and effort to do things for work, I was still able to work.

Back to our contract.. I have my fingers crossed my MRI will show something curable or treatable and at the very least somethign that isn't going to kill me or leave me in a wheel chair shitting myself.. But it was a really hard conversation that me and my wife had. If for example I need brain surgery, my wife can no longer take time off work to help me recover, visit me in the hospitial which would be 6 hours away from our home etc.. She cant take a day off work to bring the kids to come see me etc.. Our contract no longer allows for that, where as before she would be able to have a couple days pre/post surgery to help me. It was just a terrible conversation to try to make a 2 year plan together with my medical issues, 2 kids and this new contract. If I need to take off anymore than 3 months, we are basically going to live pay check to pay check and cross our fingers our vehicles don't need to get replaced. We live well within our means and have near zero debt aside from our mortagage so its not like we set ourselves up for failure either.

All because we had a bunch of teachers who abused our contracts anyway they possibly could and to the full extent.

I'll add that in the 5 years I've been going to doctors, specialist, physio therapist I've only ever taken off 2 days in those whole 5 years to get it done. Those 2 days were for specialists that pick your day to see them, not you give days to them that work for you.. So I had no choice.. I actually had my MRI done at 8:30 AM Sunday morning so I wouldn't miss work. I could have missed a lot of work for appointments, but I made them all for 3:45 pm or on one of the Fridays we have off work.

makes me mad just typing this up.. But again, unions didn't start so people could kick their feet up and do %50 less work and make %50 more money. They were started because work conditions were bad, pay was not any way fair, people were working themsleves to death for peanuts etc.. It's the abusers who wreck contracts, not unions.

I didn’t know union contracts could overrule the Ontario labour laws. In those you are entitled to 10 sick days a year.
It was always my understanding that o matter what you couldn’t do less then the provincial labour laws.

Btw, I did mention that the rural cp people were getting the shaft. First line, lol.
Also just like when Molson started to make profit again, they cannot reinstate everything right away. The average person does not know how the company leveraged itself to get thru the lean times. Like avoiding equipment repairs, borrowing money, fancy accounting to put off paying taxes until the future. So they may not be able to afford to reinestate right away. Also maybe they are in line with the other businesses in their sector now as far as pay and benefits. There is no rule that says they need to be above just because they were before.

I believe, and this is just my opinion, that with the strong labour laws we have today, unions are not as needed as they were in the past with the lack of labour laws. Mind you if the unions were not here, who knows if everyone would be making min wage because there would be no benchmark.

 

[animal-inside]

Update
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



OTTAWA - The Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a request Saturday for the federal government to appoint a mediator in its contract talks with Canada Post, as it rejected the Crown corporation's latest offers.

Canada Post issued new, time sensitive, proposals last week aimed at reaching agreements with its approximately 42,000 urban employees and 8,000 rural and suburban carriers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in Saturday night with a last-minute plea to the two sides, just hours before the midnight deadline on the Crown corporation's offers expired. In a Twitter post, Trudeau cited the arrival of the holiday shopping season and urged both sides "to resolve their differences quickly and reach a deal."

But as the deadline on the offers passed, CUPW issued a statement that said it had responded "by presenting the Corporation with our own global offers that address our needs and demands."

The union also said that it had asked the government to appoint a mediator to help the two sides reach an accord after nearly a year of talks, adding "We believe that our proposals can be the basis of collective agreements."

CUPW had said on Friday that the new proposals from Canada Post made positive steps, but not enough to end the rotating strikes that have shut down postal operations in more than 200 communities, creating a huge backlog of undelivered mail. It said it would not bring the offers to a vote of its members, although both sides remained at the bargaining table.

On Saturday the Retail Council of Canada urged Ottawa to "bring an immediate end" to the rotating strikes through back-to-work legislation.

"Just as retail merchants, our workforce of two million and our customers enter the busiest time of year, the postal system is grinding to a near-halt," council president Diane Brisebois wrote in a letter to Trudeau.

Earlier in the week, eBay called on the government to legislate an end to the dispute in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events tied to the American Thanksgiving.

Trudeau said last week that "all options" would be on the table to end postal disruptions if there was no progress in bargaining.

A government source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said decisions on how to end the job action by postal workers could come as early as Sunday, adding that "'all the options' does include legislating."

Honestly, this is when CP workers need to stay strong and hold out. Just because Christmas season is coming is NOT a reason to fold. Tough luck for corporate canada post.. This shoudl show them the need to treat their workers better when they are making the biggest profits they ever have.
All of us who are in the job force should support CP workers. YEs we are inconcivnenced due to mail being slowed down, but we should support them in my opinion. People who say fuck CP workers, I'm tired of my mail being delayed are being selfish and only seeing what's in front of their face. Like I said, lower and middle class people need to support each other so that when its us on the shitty end of a corporation, those who we supported will support us.

Lower class and middle class need to unite, not be divided.

 

[animal-inside]

I didn’t know union contracts could overrule the Ontario labour laws. In those you are entitled to 10 sick days a year.
It was always my understanding that o matter what you couldn’t do less then the provincial labour laws.

Btw, I did mention that the rural cp people were getting the shaft. First line, lol.
Also just like when Molson started to make profit again, they cannot reinstate everything right away. The average person does not know how the company leveraged itself to get thru the lean times. Like avoiding equipment repairs, borrowing money, fancy accounting to put off paying taxes until the future. So they may not be able to afford to reinestate right away. Also maybe they are in line with the other businesses in their sector now as far as pay and benefits. There is no rule that says they need to be above just because they were before.

I believe, and this is just my opinion, that with the strong labour laws we have today, unions are not as needed as they were in the past with the lack of labour laws. Mind you if the unions were not here, who knows if everyone would be making min wage because there would be no benchmark.

We are in Alberta, not Ontario.

Regardless, me being sick entititles me to my sick days. Me being really sick or needing operation and help with recovery does not entitled my wife anything.

I agree we never know behind the scences. And when a company almost files for bankrupcy, they will be extra caustuious when they building back up.

I also agree, we have way better labour laws now, and you can thank unions for leading the way for those changes imo.

I think people need to keep in mind when your dealing with corporations, the governments etc... You need to fight for every inch all the time because those corportations and government will take every inch they can from you when they can. They are all about THEIR bottom dollar, not yours. And don't shit yourself, those corporatiosn and governments would take more of what you got if they legally could. Fight for every inch because they won't fight for you

 

[Bolton73]

Honestly, this is when CP workers need to stay strong and hold out. Just because Christmas season is coming is NOT a reason to fold. Tough luck for corporate canada post.. This shoudl show them the need to treat their workers better when they are making the biggest profits they ever have.
All of us who are in the job force should support CP workers. YEs we are inconcivnenced due to mail being slowed down, but we should support them in my opinion. People who say fuck CP workers, I'm tired of my mail being delayed are being selfish and only seeing what's in front of their face. Like I said, lower and middle class people need to support each other so that when its us on the shitty end of a corporation, those who we supported will support us.

Lower class and middle class need to unite, not be divided.

I understand where your coming from. Earlier you mentioned your mother's plight, and your standing up for your mother, addressing the difficulties she faced, and voicing your disagreement with that scenario - and that's very honorable.

Me personally, I can't get behind a movement that is willing to wreck peoples' Christmas, and possibly end the career of smaller companies that rely on Christmas sales - just so they can get what they want.

I absolutely agree there was a time when unions were needed, but now I feel they have become the same evil that they once fought against, IMO.

This is why I'm a bit anti-union. But I strongly support anyone's right to join and support unions, or to simply side with them during issues like this. This is what makes our country so beautiful - our freedom to agree and to disagree, to support what we see as right, and to speak out against what we see as wrong.

I'm not attacking anyone of the guys here who are in unions, nor am I attempting to offend or disrespect anyone who supports unions. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, brothers.

But I hope an agreement is found quickly, one that benefits all those involved - meaning all us Canadians

 

[flexappeal]

Here’s the thing CP is willing to fuck people as well.