Canada Post Strike

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherGuy

I understand how that works. The problem I see is that some people seem to think they should be rewarded for not using up all of the sick days. But to me it is an insurance for sickness. Otherwise it has no value.

Agreed. I guess I see the issue being that they were told they had them to bank, and are now having them taken away.

My dad worked at a place where they could bank their sick days; and so he did for almost 30 years. Just before retirement he had some major surgery; so he was able to use a lot of those sick days- and he got full pay. It also worked to his benefit for his pension to be able to put in that extra year at his highest pay rate. (Pension based on your 5 best years of earnings.)

It turns out my dad's surgery was a career ender. He's OK- but can no longer work. But he got the benefit of not using up his sick days while he watched his co-workers burn through theirs. Not to mention the number of extra shifts he had to work when said co-workers called in sick.

If CP were to say "going forward, you can no longer carry over sick time"- then fine. My understanding is that they want to take away the accruals that people already have. So really, they are taking something away from the hardest working of their employees, and rewarding the slackers.

I'm not advocating people coming into work when they really are sick; but we all know of "that guy" who seems to be sick on a lot of Fridays; especially if its just before a long weekend.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Try drafting

No thanks.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Your right it is apples and oranges, considering the knowledge that a doctor needs to aquire, the fact that they pretty much hold a patients life in their hands, and a single mistake not only can cost them a life, but a career path.

And I would assume that your wife's employer is a gp.

Doctors to me earn every single penny and perk that they get.

Nope, he's an eye guy and I mostly agree that they earn every penny. He very rarely holds a patients life in his hands though...their sight maybe but not their life.

My original post was simply meant to imply that you can't compare a CP emlployees' benefits to a doctors as they have entirely different benefits, risks and education . Probably could have worded it much better.

[darklord700]

Canada Post union boss accuses company of 'partial lockout'

Read more: http://www.canada.com/Canada+Post+un...#ixzz1PBreQv8D

"The union is seeking higher wages and more job security..."

Like you can go on a strike or take 20 sick days in a year not having to worry about being fired, that's not enough job security already?

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by darklord700

"The union is seeking higher wages and more job security..."

Ugh. Such a moronic thing to strike for. Doesn't matter if the business is running a billion dollar deficit, as long as we still have a job.

It's amazing CP hasn't instituted a full lockout.

[Kelekin]

Canada Post, while being a joke of a corporation with hilariously awful shipping rates, is being the lesser of two evils in this fight. But it's the old addage - the grass is always greener. Postal workers are looking at the grass from an angle.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Kelekin

Canada Post, while being a joke of a corporation with hilariously awful shipping rates, is being the lesser of two evils in this fight. But it's the old addage - the grass is always greener. Postal workers are looking at the grass from an angle.

I hope at the end the small parcel shipping rate would go lower. I don't sell on ebay anymore because the small parcel rate is just too expensive. How do you sell a $20 item with a $10 shipping attached to it?

[Kelekin]

Originally Posted by darklord700

I hope at the end the small parcel shipping rate would go lower. I don't sell on ebay anymore because the small parcel rate is just too expensive. How do you sell a $20 item with a $10 shipping attached to it?

I received a package weighing in at 1.5kg last week from the United States. It cost $13.40 to send. I re-used the box to send something back out to the US, weighting in at 1.2kg. It cost me $27 to ship.

Of course, this postal rep also argued with me on the merits of what is considered "lettermail" and ended up over-charging me on that too.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Maybe I've missed something and if I have I'm sure numerous people will point out my folly but what's with all the talk of how physically demanding CP jobs are?

One CP job is physically demanding. Letter carrier. Maybe a couple other ones.

But AFAIK it isn't just the letter carriers that are going on strike. It is also the drivers, depot workers and other assorted easy as #### jobs that are going on strike. Why do people in this thread keep referencing how difficult it is?

I'd like to see the breakdown of letter carriers vs the other dozens of jobs that people work at CP. Letter carriers are probably like 20% of the workforce.

One of the Union demands is actually to prevent CP from installing modern mail sorting technology and equipment. Guess what? Those machines are there to make the job less physically demanding and safer for workers...not to mention making everything run smoother and faster.

Yes, this is 2011 and there are people protesting against machines taking away their jobs. What's next? They throw their shoes into the mail sorter?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Canada Post union boss accuses company of 'partial lockout'

Read more: http://www.canada.com/Canada+Post+un...#ixzz1PBreQv8D

"The union is seeking higher wages and more job security..."

Like you can go on a strike or take 20 sick days in a year not having to worry about being fired, that's not enough job security already?

And the union went on partial strike. Why? Because if they went for a full strike, they know the government might legislate them back to work, or maybe public sentiment would turn totally against them...or people would realize they didn't miss them at all.

The union dues these workers have paid over the years will still far exceed any increase in wages they might get.

[Hack&Lube]

There was an article in the National Post who's author kept track of his mail and 90% of the delivered letter mail was ad and junk mail. Our taxes and the prices we pay when we send mail and parcels are there to subsidize what is basically a government mandated spam delivery system.

I wouldn't use Canada Post at all if not for the fact that our internet society is so dependant on it for buying and selling goods online, especially when couriers will rape us with brokerage fees.

[Hockey]

The more I hear the more I understand why we are going on strike. I mean it is going to hurt me money wise at first and thats why I don't really care and just want to work. However in the long run it will prove to better for us.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Hockey

The more I hear the more I understand why we are going on strike. I mean it is going to hurt me money wise at first and thats why I don't really care and just want to work. However in the long run it will prove to better for us.

I think the strike is going to hurt you moneywise in the long term. CP and the government are not going to settle with the workers for some time but rather leave him high and dry and see how long it takes to break the union as public sentiment and the modern world moves past the need for dinosaurs like CP.

Do you get strike pay?

[Hockey]

Ya we get strike pay. Not enough to be able to pay off mortgage and other bills. Im hoping to be able to work for my Uncle as a backup plan for now, but things are slow for them right now too.

[Deegee]

Originally Posted by Hockey

The more I hear the more I understand why we are going on strike. I mean it is going to hurt me money wise at first and thats why I don't really care and just want to work. However in the long run it will prove to better for us.

There is nothing the union workers can do to stop CP from losing business as time goes on.

In the future, the only mail delivered will be parcels and spam. All other mail will be done electronically.

I seriously do not understand why the union feels the need to strike in an uncertain economic time and in an industry where their business will continue to shrink as time goes on.

It's borderline ######ed from an outsider's point of view.

[Hockey]

Looks like Canada Post has officially locked us out as of 8pm today. At least thats what I have read on the CUPW group on facebook.

[Torture]

If CP were to say "going forward, you can no longer carry over sick time"- then fine. My understanding is that they want to take away the accruals that people already have. So really, they are taking something away from the hardest working of their employees, and rewarding the slackers.

They want to take it away but they're also going to pay it out based on your wage - people are still being compensated for those sick days they've banked.

Also, from 660 News:

Originally Posted by 660 News

BREAKING NEWS... Canada Post workers have been locked out... and that means already scaled-back mail delivery will be stopped

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Deegee

There is nothing the union workers can do to stop CP from losing business as time goes on.

In the future, the only mail delivered will be parcels and spam. All other mail will be done electronically.

I seriously do not understand why the union feels the need to strike in an uncertain economic time and in an industry where their business will continue to shrink as time goes on.

It's borderline ######ed from an outsider's point of view.

There are still documents where an original is required, and email just won't do. I also think things like gift cards (fathers day is this coming weekend for example) are just so much nicer through the mail as opposed to some lame e-card.

I get the idea that some things that CP delivers are becoming less relevant, but the mail I get that I actually want to get is stuff like that. I would be fine with mail coming every couple of days or something, but I wouldn't want it gone and I wouldn't want it privatized either.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Hockey

The more I hear the more I understand why we are going on strike. I mean it is going to hurt me money wise at first and thats why I don't really care and just want to work. However in the long run it will prove to better for us.

All wages lost during a strike are never recovered. In the long run this strike is really going to hurt the workers. Business owners will find other ways to get mail and parcels delivered. Once they've done that the chances are very few will return to CP when the strike is over.

Don't fall the crap your union has been spewing.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Hockey

Looks like Canada Post has officially locked us out as of 8pm today. At least thats what I have read on the CUPW group on facebook.

About time! Let's see how long the workers can last on strike pay. Reality will set in pretty quickly and many members will be questioning the union leadership as bills start to mount.