'Drastic' postal lockout forced feds to take action: Raitt

The minister of labour says Canada Post and employees should work to get a deal, since the government may table back-to-work legislation. She also discusses why it is important for the government to get involved when companies go on strike and lockout employees.

Question period: Layton questions the Tories

NDP Leader Jack Layton asks the Conservatives if locking out Canada Post employees after threatening to legislate the end of the Air Canada strike can be interpreted as fair bargaining practice.

CTV Calgary: Sue French with reaction

Canada Post has locked out its workers across the country in an effort to find a quick solution to the ongoing contract dispute.

CTV Edmonton: Laura Tupper on the lock out

The federal labour minister says the government is ready to legislate an end to the Canada Post strike in as little as 48 hours. This comes after more than 48,000 postal workers have been locked out by Canada Post.

CTV Winnipeg: Nancy Carlson on local businesses

A Winnipeg business owner says the postal lockout has halted his company's cash flow. He also says he will have to take drastic measures if the lockout lasts much longer.

CTV Ottawa: Joanne Schnurr on the local impact

Ottawa resident Chris Berckmans just finished a contract job with the federal government and his paycheque is in the mail, along with his employment insurance.

CTV Toronto: Feds to force Canada Post back to work

Colin D'Mello reports with the latest in the Canada Post lockout and the government's decision on back to work legislation.

CTV Toronto: Small print affected by postal strike

Austin Delaney reports from Port Perry, Ont., on the affect a postal strike has on small town newspapers.

CTV Calgary: Sue French at the picket line

Postal workers in Calgary hit the picket lines Wednesday after they were locked out by Canada Post. Meanwhile, the local union is shocked by the company's decision to shut down operations across the country.

CTV News Channel: Patrick Bartlett, consultant

A management consultant with Ursa Major Associates says mail delivery will continue to decline, but it is still relevant in the marketplace.

CTV News Channel: Canada Post workers locked out

CTV's Merella Fernandez says Canada Post decided to lock out employees because they say it was the best way to get the union back to the negotiating table.

CTV News Channel: Rik Davie, Scugog Standard

The managing editor of The Scugog Standard says the Canada Post strike has turned is staff into newspaper delivery people in order to get his product to customers.

CTV News Channel: Jack Layton, opposition leader

NDP Leader Jack Layton responds to media questions in Ottawa on the Canada Post lockout and Air Canada strike. Layton says forcing legislation to end the strike shows the government is on the companies' side.

CTV Toronto: Canada Post workers locked out

Colin D'Mello reports as postal workers are locked out by Canada Post amid roaming walk outs.

CTV Montreal: Catherine Sherriffs on the lockout

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt will push back-to-work legislation for Canada Post workers who were locked out by the Crown corporation. Catherine Sherriffs has more.

CTV News Channel: Denis Lemelin, CUPW

The CUPW national president and chief negotiator says the union wants to meet with Canada Post president and CEO Deepak Chopra, who must let locked out workers deliver mail to Canadians.

Canada AM: Lisa Raitt, minister

The labour minister says the government is applying pressure because there is too much of an inconvenience to Canadian travellers, and explains how this is the time for the union and Air Canada to 'knuckle down and get back to the table.'

CTV News Channel: Don Martin, Power Play

The host of CTV's Power Play says now that the lockout is national, employees may be legislated back to work, and explains the government may act quickly with Canada Post, as they did with Air Canada, because they say the economic recovery may be in jeopardy.

CTV News Channel: Denis Lemelin, CUPW

The CUPW national president and chief negotiator says it is utterly irresponsible for Canada Post to stop all mail delivery, and explains how Canada Post's new head has to step in and address the issue.

CTV News Channel: BNN's Michael Kane explains

A correspondent from the Business News Network says the focus of Jim Flaherty's upcoming speech on the strikes is not yet known. He explains how the finance minister may also indicate when interest rates will go up.

CTV News Channel: Jon Hamilton, Canada Post

A spokesperson says Canada Post felt it was necessary to bring all operations to a halt due to constant service disruptions, and explains how the monetary losses caused by the strike are adding up.

CTV Toronto Extended: Locked out workers picket

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers picket outside a Canada Post facility in Toronto, Wednesday morning.

Canada AM: Daniel Baum, arbitrator

An arbitrator for the Canadian government says Canada Post management is exercising their own pressure at this point, and explains why he thinks the demands being made by the locked out workers are unrealistic.

Watch: See all Videos in the Player

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Labour Minister Lisa Raitt appears on CTV's Power Play on Wednesday, June 15, 2011.

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Wed. Jun. 15 2011 8:55 PM ET

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt said "an erosion" at the bargaining table between Canada Post and its union forced the government to serve notice it will table back-to-work legislation if the two sides can't reach a deal.

Raitt had previously said she preferred to see Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers come to a negotiated settlement.

But after Canada Post locked out its 48,000 urban postal workers late Tuesday, Raitt said the "drastic" move forced her to reassess the impact on the Canadian public and the economy.

"What it comes down to is we've got two parties, the union and Canada Post, that have been at the table for a very, very long period of time," Raitt told CTV's Power Play Wednesday evening. "What we've been seeing in the past last 11 days is just an erosion at the table."

Raitt added: "As you know…(the government has) a strong mandate from Canadians to have an economic recovery that works and to work on it, and this is an important piece of it as well. The harm to the third parties, especially the small businesses, is of great concern and we acted appropriately today."

On Tuesday, the government issued a similar warning to striking Air Canada staff.

Raitt told Power Play the company pension is one of the main sticking points for both Canada Post and the union, as well as Air Canada and its union, and there has been little movement by either side on the issue.

At the end of the day, Raitt said, the government respects the collective bargaining process, but it must also consider third parties that suffer from work stoppages.

"There's a point in time where the innocent third parties affected," Raitt said. "It's one thing to withhold your services to a company in order to make them hurt economically so that they come back to the table. It's quite another thing to withhold services from the Canadian public so that they cause an economic difficulty for the entire nation in order to get their way. And that's just not acceptable."

Raitt urged Canada Post and CUPW to use the next 48 hours to "get to the table and do a deal."

Opposition critics say the government is going against traditional labour practices, where an agreement is eventually hashed out at the bargaining table.

And NDP MP Yvon Godin accused the postal service of "creating a crisis" by locking out workers, forcing the government to act.

Responding to reports that Raitt would use legislation to end the strike, union president Denis Lemelin said it was not a step that CUPW would agree with.

But he said the union's focus was on securing a meeting with Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra.

Lemelin said Chopra should reinstate the prior contract agreement, which could be used while the two sides continue negotiating.

Earlier Wednesday, Lemelin said Canada Post's decision to shut down its urban operations across the country was "totally irresponsible."

Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton said the lockout was not something the corporation wanted to do.

"While we'd hoped to avoid a disruption to service to Canadians, we feel we can't continue to let this drag on," Hamilton told The Canadian Press in an interview.

"It's having a huge impact on the business, it's having a huge impact on our customers and our employees and the time is now to get a deal with the union."

A statement issued by Canada Post late Tuesday said "a lockout is the best way to bring a timely resolution to this impasse and force the union to seriously consider the proposals that address the declining mail volumes and the $3.2-billion pension deficit."

Canada Post maintains that it has been forced to stop its urban mail services in the face of the rotating strikes that have raged for nearly two weeks, costing the corporation an estimated $100 million in revenue.

With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

CAinHamilton
said
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Well the NDP was right. Canada Post created a crisis, stepped back from the table, blamed the union and the workers and made a space for a federal anti-union anti-labour to move in and do its anti-union thing and Canada Post claims all innocence in the matter. I see four more years of this...I have to ask all those that criticize unionized workers for their hard won wages and benefits - will you want their jobs when they are without benefits, without adequate safety features, without pensions, and barely above minimum wage?

Pepsi Girl
said
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Maybe the people forcing the workers back to work should read all the comments here. No one cares if they get their junk mail! Let them strike. This has been the incentive I've needed to switch all my bills to e-billing. Its better for the environment, and its faster, and no-one has to slip on my icy stairs, or be bitten by my mean dog. I'd like to see Canada Post's comments about many people have switched to e-post in the last couple weeks. I think we are going to see a huge decrease in mail volumes permanently.

VIP
said
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Dear members of the Federal Government, do not legislate these people back to work, unless you think a return to the last century is necessary. We simply don't need them anymore.

bikerborz
said
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After reading the news articles and nearly all of the comments here, I've come to the following conclusions: 1) CUPW needs to get with the program, turf its leadership, and update to the 21st century; 2) Canada Post Corporation needs to turf most of its middle-and upper management echelons for the same reasons; and 3) most of the posters here don't have clue one what they're talking about. They're just spewing.

A Union member
said
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Your union doesn't seem to be getting through. Being with AUPE I know it sucks negotiating with the Alberta Government I could only imagine what kind of horse manure they are shovelling at you. hang in there. People if you worked for the Gov you would soon learn that the government job does not quite pay what you think. MP's pay themselves really well how about some for the little guy hey?

Paul D.
said
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The only way to end this strike is that Canada Post has to take the unions offer and they need to stop being so difficult.

David Harrison
said
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There is more to Canada Post than just receiving mail. Not once have I heard any comment in the news about small businesses like mine hurting because they can't ship their product to their customers!! I run a small business from home and ship worldwide using Canada Post. If I can't ship to my customers, my business hurts BIG TIME!!

PBW
said
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taylorler: please state FACTS. CUPW was running rotating strikes across the nation before Canada Post started the lockout. To imply that CUPW was not on strike and all this was about a lockout is just plain dishonest.

Peter
said
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This lockout has single handidly closed my business before I could even open.I have done everything to open a small business that I would have opened today or tomorrow.I have placed an order that has all my stock in it,no stock no business.As a result I will lose my storefront because all my money is tied up in stock that is now sitting in a closed post office.This lockout needs to end I need my stock.I will deliver the mail with no stipulations just give me a good paycheck people that have jobs should go to work and enjoy it or let others do it.

Russ
said
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I applaud the canada post for implementing the lock out. Unions got to realize that if the business don't make money they won't either. Unions are a have been and need to get rid of all unions and have some groups that can think logically.

Mona Ro
said
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I liked the idea of mail delivery 3 times per week since I've changed everything over to electronic statements and E-Pay anyway, and there would be less frequency of junk mail to toss in the garbage. Eventually Canada Post could lay off lots of full-time employees and reduce their payroll liabilities by having only part-timers.

Craig
said
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I'm hoping for a quick resolution to the lockout. What it cost me today shipping with various couriers to make my customers happy is staggering. Canada Post is an important tool for business, commerce and e-commerce in this country

lorraine
said
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canada post is not fair to employes . since 1980 when they became a crown corp. they have done nothing but hide behind the govt. at contract time to stack negotations in their favor i don/t know who the goof is in charge is at canada post at present but they need to wake up and start running canada post as a service for the people and not a cash cow for the govt.heir

Charlie in Dublin Shore NS
said
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Canada Post has to lock them out the strikers are costing them and the taxpayers millions and as they are what most people consider way over payed and under worked. Remember these people are untrained labour and should be around the minimum wage for earnings. Not almost 3 times the regular minimum wage. I have very little sympathy for them it took me a long time and a lot of training to get a good wage otherwise I would be just an unskilled worker making 10 or 12 bucks an hour.

Inglourious Bantered
said
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I once thought unions were irrelevant and a dinosaur in the modern economy. I was wrong. Rather than believe that union perks for the rank and file are undeserved, maybe it's time the working and middle class push back before there are no middle and working classes and working conditions continue to erode. Otherwise, the future will be a fearful labour pool thankful that they even have a job, buying imported everything on meager real wages. Good times!

It's time to force management in crown corporations, the private sector, and non-profits to stop squeezing labour to reach their targets. There are many ways to do this. Canada is a high standard of living country and undermining the workforce will cause lingering stagnation since the masses won't be able to spend.

Scott M
said
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I am glad the government may step in. Enough is enough. It's like a parent towards two kids:"If you can't play fair and get this figured out, then I'll have to do it for you and neither will like the outcome."

Job needed
said
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It's time to privatize Canada Post. Fire all the Posties, put it out to bid. Lowest bidder hires non union letter carriers at $10 an hour. No more sick days, benefits and mostly, no more striking at every whim.Welcome to the real world Posties.

Lynn
said
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For all you who think the letter carriers are lazy and do not deserve what they earn, I welcome you to wear their shoes for a day. It is so easy to condemn and critize about things that you really have no clue about but like I said, walk in their shoes. Try doing their job and stand up for public service daily when trying to get managment to see what the public really wants. You may think now door to door delivery should be a thing of the past, remember that when you become elders and heaven forbid disabled and cannot walk a couple of block to retrieve your mail. Stop thinking about yourselves and think those such as persons with disabilities, seniors and people on limited incomes or a combination of the three who will find the deletion of door to door delivery may find the deletion of door to door delivery unfortunate for them. Please stop thinking our yourself!

I LUV Unions Haha!
said
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Yes, you were locked out...a direct response to going on rolling strikes in the first place!! Next time don't let the greedy leaders of your unions buy you a couple of beers and talk you into getting your members to agree a strike is a good idea! The longer this goes on the more business canada post loses, the more people switch to computer billing, etc.. I would have no problem getting mail 3 days a week instead of 5. This makes a lot of fiscal sense to me. Biting off your nose to spite your face makes no sense. Result will be short term gains but long term losses. The next time you union members vote for something may want to get a second opinion, What kind of car does the head of the union drive??? I'm guessing it's not a honda civic! Remember who has the most to gain here.

Tired in FF
said
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I really am tired of people thinking that we letter carriers are lazy and overpaid. Try walking in our shoes for awhile. we just want a decent paycheque with decent benefits, coming from working crappy jobs for 10 years, mostly in the explotive world of retail merchandising, it is not too much to ask. If you are gonna complain about something, complain about the non-taxed population or "newcomers" who contribute nothing to the economy.

Phil
said
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Right on, Mr Harper! The people of Canada are behind you on this one.

Marcie Pulilan
said
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Do not legislate Canada Post back to work, they are not essential services in fact we do not need them. Let them die a natural death. I use email, online banking and Fedex and UPS for packages. Once we dissolve them, let us put the money we put into them to our health care system. This is a better use of our limited resource. Let us learn from the garbage strike. Let us tell unions their time has come to slowly fade away with Blockbuster, Pay Phones, CD Music and other iconic 20th century figures.

Cry me a river
said
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Walking the line: so 30 pounds is too much for you? Try my load: I carry daily 183 pounds of equipment including: body armour, web gear, rifle & ammunition, Antiarmour rocket, Command detonated mines, radio, water, food, medical kit, demolitions, helmet, and other misc. equipment. THEN, I might also have shelter & sleeping bag, extra clothing, and personal stuff. And my "route" is far more hazardous and longer than yours.

The Ice Man delivers
said
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Since when can a parcel be delivered online? Am I missing something?

Will
said
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Estabahn and the rest: you ARE ON STRIKE. The lockout can after.

Erika Carding
said
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Canada Post is NOT on strike. CPC LOCKED them out!!!

stargod
said
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Cut back Canada post to delivering to a central location for homes & businesses only on Mondays & Fridays. Use the longer employed posties in office to help current sorters et al in office if Canada post needs them the days they are not working on the street any more. Cut wages or freeze them year by year till we see what the economy does. Cut pensions but not completely, make them plan & save for their pension. They do get Canada Pension Plan, any other private plans they had b4 or after working at CP & they have what ever CPost pension they had. Legalise e mails so a Legal letter etc, can be sent by e mail. Canada Post is NOW REDUNDANT. Canadians will save billions.

Confused at Hiring Time
said
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Let's all apply for postal jobs and then de-certify the union! How come when postal workers take the job, they agree with their pay and conditions? Why is it then, that it's unsafe, their families are starving, they have no shoes later? Maybe pull your flat screen off the wall and park that SUV you bought!

Roger Williams
said
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Yes, this government likes to use "force" instead of open and free negotiation. Canada post does not want to negotiate, that is why they have waited for this "force" to get their way!

Cheryl
said
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To all the people who are saying letter carriers are lazy and would love to have their job. Why haven't you applied? Winters too cold for ya?

seekerr
said
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Every government worker should walk out for a month and then lets talk about what they all don't do for us on a daily basis... buncha ingrates. Federal & provincial employees work hard to bring you everything that supposedly makes this a great country to live in, but every chance the public/media/management gets they bash them, twist the truth and lie. The workers...ones who actually do the work, aren't the ones who sit in Parliament and they don't bring home a hundred grand a year, expenses and incentives. A General Strike is what we need to wake up the ignorant. Harper and his loud-mouthed minority of ignorant followers will be the death of our country, mark my words. Workers unite, general strike...all go on welfare and let Harper run/ruin it alone...

What The
said
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And the ignorance abounds! Joe Public ever since Canada post became a crown corp in the 80S they have been enjoying profits in the millions. For the ignorant ones this means after all expenses and that includes the postal employees wages, this corporation is still enjoying the profits made of the backs literally of its employees. Your Tax dollars and Mine Do Not Pay the Postal Employees Wages. Get your facts straight for you make your comments!

JK
said
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Harper just guaranteed that Canada Post is not going to negotiate

J Stad
said
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Way to go Estaban! These anti-union haters need to stop hating. You want a job, apply. Bet if Canpost wins and you do get a job, but Joe been here for years and made more than you to start, you would think about it.Canada Post should be ordered to reopen and the workers demands listened to.

ISUPPORTCUPW
said
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Someone should tell Stevie Harper that Canada Post employees were locked-out. Oh, he's probably to busy planning his summer vacation and entertaining the royal couple.

Jenn
said
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StrikePros- Mail carriers need to be appreciated for all their hard work, dealing with the weather and pets. Yes mail has decreased but is still needed today. Cons- Mail carriers need to realize there is no education needed for carrying mail. They have benefits and a pension which is also hard to come by. I think they need to be considerate of the fact that less mail is being mailed, so would there not be smaller profit margins? All I'm saying is choose your battles. In my opinion if you're a good worker you don't need a union.

Rural Postie
said
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Canada Post is saying that they are loosing 100 million dollars due to the strike. That is perhaps a top figure before you facture in the millions of dollars that they are not contributing to our pension fund, our wages, and many other values that are also frozen at this time on their side. That value is greatly reduced and very over inflated.On the issue of our saleries, if you take into account the huge amount of deductions that are taken off our cheques never to be seen again or used, and then come up with a take home pay, it leaves us with about a $ 13.00 per hr rate. That is not all that high a wage when all is said and done. Upon announcing a strike action all benifits including sick pay, medical expenses and things like dental and vision plans have all bee frozen. That not only hurts the employees, but also retail businesses accross the country..The economy does also hurt from this action.

Bill M Ottawa
said
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For the thousands of un-employed people give your heads a shake. A good chunk of you never wanted to work. For the rest of the un-employed your jobs were sent over seas for slave labor so that the big companies can make more money and become richer. Government should have no part in this process other than working out a fair contract for everyone involved.

Len - Retired
said
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Frank and I suppose when you finally get a job and lose it to someone who will do it for half of what you make, you will just give them your blessing? Come on Frank that argument is just to lame.

Shayden
said
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I would like everyone bashing the postal workers to tell everyone what you do for a living and how much you get paid. Then we can all comment on whether or not you deserve the money you receive for the job you have. People on here, going on about how only if you have a education, should you make a certain amount of money. Really, sitting in a classroom for x amount of years somehow makes you a better person or a harder worker. I guess I didn't get that memo. And for all those people saying you would love to be a postal worker, apply, Canada Post has been around for years, what have you been waiting for?

montrealRON
said
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well,well,well you had jobs above 23 dollars per HR, and are crying. lets see how you feel when you lose your jobs, you `LL cry but your union members they`LL still get there pay. yes sir good times are down the road. first down to three days of service, maybe then two or one. then privatization good times, see you on the unemployment line where there are lots of ten dollar an HR jobs for you to chose from.

vancouverite
said
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I'm very surprised by these comments, how selfish can people get? All you think about is your mail? What about these workers crappy wages. If you are complaining about wasting tax payers money, you should redirect your rant to the government. You are paying HST without consent, the government has spent 26million of tax payers money for Libya mission.Wake up people - gotta look at the BIGGER picture.

A Koster
said
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Wow.. I thought Raitt had gone the way of the dodo.. nasty to see her pop up here now.. I can only assume she thinks that strikes are as sexy as isotopes.. you know, to advance her 'career'.. and that ambition is showing through with her jumping the gun here. The post office LOCKED OUT the workers.. it was no huge deal with rotating strikes.. duh. Air Canada just walked out... no reports of any huge disruptions.. duh.. but squash the unions and she'll be back in the good books of Harper again I suppose?

Debbie
said
0 0

Are Air Canada, Canada Post and the government in cahoots and attempting to do a little union-busting? It would be a shame if Canadians lost the right to strike over poor wages and working conditions, etc. It just seems odd that the government is so quick to legislate workers back to work rather than try to negotiate a solution especially since AC is a private company and not a government corporation.

I'll deliver the mail
said
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I think it's funny how the Union first says we will strike, now they have been locked out OH well we want to return to work. See Canada it's not us it's the Post Office that locked the poor mail man out. The terrible woking conditions, they want us to walk around to peoples houses and give them their mail. INSANE maybe even walk in the rain or heaven should I say SNOW. I'll go walk around and deliver mail for what they make. I bet they could replace every mail man or woman in less than 24 hours. NO PROBLEMGet back to work or go work at Mcdonalds.

Vince m
said
0 0

Posties are like the workers that used to deliver ice to houses before people had fridges. They probably complained about how heavy the ice was and how long their routes and how the factory was unsafe and their employer didn't care. Well the Internet is our fridge, and you should wake up and see that your "ice" business is finished. What have ANY of you done to mitigate the risk to your careers?

taylorler
said
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JAYJAY.....seriously...postal workers are not on strike...they were locked out by Canada Post...they want to work...Canada Post wont let them...and please, if you dont know what your talking about, or even have an idea what exactly is going on then keep your comments to yourself...they dont want MORE...they just want to keep what they already have. GOOD LUCK CUPW!!!

Franck commonsens
said
0 0

MESSAGE FROM THE THOUSAND UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE: You do not to do your job at that salary and those conditions? FINE! We are ready to take your job at HALF that price!

Estebahn
said
0 0

Just to clarify for the people who don't understand english. We were LOCKED OUT, not on strike. The places that were next in the rotating strike employed a total of 23 workers. Yeah that would have stopped mail service and caused a huge disruption??? If you would like to come work for Canada Post, they hire on a regular basis, and in the last two months they hired nearly 200 ppl in WInnipeg. So come on down and work with me for 23 dollars an hour and then when you get paid you can write a check and give back the money you feel you've been overpaid. I got a feeling you'd shut your mouth and take the money and fight like hell to keep it if you were in my position. I work hard to make that money, but I support my Union because they got me this wage and these benefits over forty years. See you soon......

terry
said
0 0

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt, fine legislate back workers, but make Canada Post let the old collective agreement stand until a new one is achieved. It is not right to send people into an explosive situation without protection.

Stargod
said
0 0

I have a grade 12 education and experience i went after myself. 15 years ago, when I was 53 I retired to the Caribbean. I now live comfortably 100 yards from the Sea. The postal corpn has to change to meet modern necessities and CUPW has to bite they bullet & they know it. I am in full agreement with what Industry Minister Raitt is doing. Save tax dollars, u will need them.

wokie
said
0 0

They were locked out!

Craig Sask
said
0 0

If you are unemployed and want to work at Canada Post, go apply, they are always hiring. However you will not start out full time with benefits etc. You will start out casual and have to put in years and years before getting to full time.You all make it sound so easy. You see the posties slacking off, drinking beer, driving, doing their job in 4 hours etc. etc. How do you know how many hours they put in or why they are parking their truck where they do. The truth is most of you have no idea what they are doing, when they start or when they finish or how much work they do. You just all assume they are slacking off and taking advantage. How do you know? You do not. Just because you make less money, you think everyone should, that makes not sense. There is so many good jobs in Canada right now and unemployment is very low, why do you covet these postal jobs when there is so many comparably good jobs? Just because you have no job and have stopped looking, that is only your fault. You not having a job is not the fault of the postal workers. To say everyone should make minimum wage is just crazy.

Doug
said
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Rotating strikes are not strikes as the postal workers loose very little, just another day off once in a while that costs only the customers. Strike until you get an agreement or are legislated back; negotiations do not mean just giving the postal workers what the think they should have.

walking the line
said
0 0

I can not believe the negative comments on here. We don't want more we just want to keep what we have. You are also only hearing part of the story. Most of us love our job and customers and want to be at work. FYI we did NOT get a 30% increase in wages the last time we went on strike which was back in 1997 we did get 3% over 4 years so I have no idea where you all get this stuff from. To the ones that think we have it so easy come try to deliver mail for one week in the plus 40 or minus 40 with 20 cm of snow and whatever gets thrown at us. We carry 30 pounds for 3 or 4 hours sometimes longer. Ninety percent of you people talking smack would not last at all.We are not the bad ones here Canada post is. They have a Canada Post Act that says that all Canadians will recieve mail 5 days a week. We want to do that but they will not let us. We have people that work here that have muliple degrees so posties are not stupid like you think.

Robert S.
said
0 0

Does Canada Post, Air Canada & their workers realize how little most of us care about their issues? The economy is fragile & they strike/lockout! Reality people. Most unemployed would love their well paying job. To declare them essential service first there has to be service. Not from Air Canada & Canada Post. Thank you for email & Westjet as they are far superior.

trunorth
said
0 0

Postal workers must all be Liberals; they seem to have this "entitlement" complex.

Rick Norlock - Quinte West
said
0 0

Just another example of Harper's Tea Party, neo-conservative way of doing things. Remember that he warned us, you will not recognize Canada when he is done with it.God save us from these far right wing nut jobs, please!

In BC
said
0 0

It isn't just about giving the jobs to people who want them. I think the whole job structure at Canada Post needs to be revamped. I see no reason to have people walking door to door delivering mail in the first place. All home delivery should be to super mailboxes where people can go get their own mail. Same in rural communities. There should be central locations where those people can go to to get their mail. And if Canada Post wants to continue mail delivery at three days a week, I think that would work fine. And with all the money they save they can install new and more efficient sorting machines and cut a few jobs that way too. I think this would be the only way to make Canada Post relevant in the future and I don't think the union is going to like it.

Paul/kanata
said
0 0

It's really amazing how most people call the union members idiots when in fact they are very smart.
They are basically uneducated but work at jobs that require no skills or education but get salaries well above $25 an hour have great benefits and amazing pensions that we the poor taxpayers would love to have.I'm not just talking Air Canada , Canada Post,OC Transpo drivers,GM workers,but all the rest of the pack. Time will come because every action has a reaction.Let's see how long they'll all stay out when they do go out. I don't think to long they need to eat to.Whoever there is always UI benefits and welfare and I'm sure they all know how to work that scam as well.

Jeremy
said
0 0

I think its time to privatize and get rid of them all including the management who are making outrageous salaries. I just ordered stuff from South Dakota and it was here in two days by courier. Why wait for Canada post. I've sent cards with Canada post years ago and they still hasn't got there or returned. We need competition in this country. The days of the unions are over they just don't realize they are a dying breed.

LP
said
0 0

This whole situation comes at the cost of the employees, along with the public. Why on earth is everyone blaming employees and making such derogatory comments and judgments about people they have never met?Just because you apply for a job and are fortunate enough to get it doesn't make you greedy. Most people, non-Canada Post employees included, just want to provide a better life for their families and if benefits are included bonus! By the way all those benefits, pensions, LTD etc are all co-pay by the employee so it's not free. Many benefit plans are not all inclusive either, there are lots of out of pocket expenses even with Medical and Dental Benefits. The employees are the ones stuck in the middle here. Neither Canada Post nor CUPW is asking what they want or think. Neither side has the guts to let them do a properly organized vote on anything. The decisions are made without input from the people they affect the most. They are pawns in this game who have to do whatever they can to bring home some form of a paycheck, because - yeah- they do appreciate the income. They may be working or walking a picket line they may or may not support, whatever it takes to support a family or life.Anyone out there can apply for a job at Canada Post or any other organization like it. If you really want to work there go for it! The only person stopping you is you. There are all kinds of jobs posted on their site right now. Got for it!

gonepostal
said
0 0

Ahhhhh.....just another day at the Buggy Whip Factory...........better be careful or your days will be numbered even more than they already are!

In BC
said
0 0

For all of you claiming that postal workers are "middle-class" workers, I say why are they? They have no education, training or abilities to warrant them being in this catagory. Therefore, they are being paid way more than they are worth as evidenced by the trained and educated nurse that makes less than a postal worker. They make $24 an hour and that doesn't even include their benefits. I am not saying that they aren't hard workers. But the only reason they are where they are is because of their employer. They work for a large corporation that can pay more. The majority of Canadians work for small business rather than large corporations and do not enjoy high wages, benefits and pensions. Even a lot of the large private corporations are rethinking their pensions because they just can't afford them anymore. There aren't a lot of jobs out there these days that have pensions. I find it interesting that the only ones left with pensions are the public service ones. And even those are probably going under the microscope with the number of people coming to retirement age in the near future. The recession isn't over yet.

Ari
said
0 0

Time has come to get rid of unions and their mentality once and forever. Unions do nothing else but cultivate a culture of parasitism. Look beyond your petty wishes you Canada Post workers. You have a great and well paid job that most Canadians would dream to have. But, above all you have a job and just look at the unemployment numbers to realize how out of touch you and your unions are. Nevertheless, unions are unions and will continue to do this all the time in any sector of the economy simply becasue their leaders know nothing else to do but complain and complain and complain. Leave them without a job and let's see how able their leaders are to find a job in a fee market economy. They are simply parasites that have stick their antenas in the taxpayers blood. Let's get rid of the unions once a forever, they are institutions of the past and have absolutely no place in today's free market and economy.

Trevor
said
0 0

Good for her. I hope she does put Canada post workers back to work. Canada post should only deliver mail twice a week. that's enough to deliver junkmail!

Somebody
said
0 0

I�m happy not to be receiving all that junk mail. I say fold Canada Post and do everything by email, the way I receive over half of my bills. Everything else can be sent by alternative methods at the sender�s expense. We save on millions of taxpayer dollars and do not have to fund over paid, lazy, greedy postal workers OR the management of an irresponsible organization who are also greedy, lazy and self serving.

unemployed
said
0 0

I would gladly do their work.. hire me!

Joe
said
0 0

I wish some of these strikers would explain something to me. One day they are shown singing, chanting etc. on the strike picket line. The next day they are crying because Canada Post locked them out! What Canada Post did (lock out) is just as legal as the strikers.

ryan
said
0 0

I work for post office and have two kids you dont hear how you have no sick time no income coming in how would u feel they take food out of your kids mouths you dont know anything were a crown corp and none of us wanted strike

Daisee
said
0 0

Jayjay, I totally support the workers and the unions, but I can't be bothered to try and educate Canadians on why. Let's all return to 12 hour days, no family time; break your backs mouth breathers.

Dave Edmonton
said
0 0

This is exactly what Canada Post wants. Maybe it's time for the government to do the right thing and look at Administration salaries and the Execs at the top. We keep paying higher costs to mail or send packages. Tell the top people to cut their salaries first. No I'm not a postal worker, just one whose fed up with top executives making big dollars and blame everyone else for companies inabilities.

james
said
0 0

Most employees at the post office are paid very well for the work they do. They have great benefits and pension plans. In these hard times they should be ashamed of themselves for even considering to strike.

James
said
0 0

Mail service in Canada has been awful. Fire all the lazy postal workers and hire new people who want to work for a change. There are a lot of people in this country who would want to work on terms Canada Post is offering them. I hate unions as they are not realistic.

greengal
said
0 0

This strike has made me aware of how good the postal workers have it. Makes me want to actually APPLY for their current jobs. Strikers- wake up and see the real world!!!

Andy B
said
0 0

So usually I am okay with unions after all walmart is one of the huge organizations that crushes unions and look how workers suffer with no benefits minimum wage and almost everything closing down around them while the owners and shareholders are dirt rich. HOWEVER. Canada post union striking at a time when unemployment is high, mail is in huge decline to electronic mail and there is a massive pension defficit. This is just stupid and irresponsible, workers all around are being laid off and taking huge cuts, and the union is asking for more money? Give me a break, cut all their wages and pensions and use that money to create more jobs.

Paul
said
0 0

Get back to work, You are ALL already overpaid.If you eliminate all the chatting at work I bet you save half of your day.

jo
said
0 0

Both sides have had their chances to get a deal done, now it is time for the Government to step in and impose a settlement. As long as Canada Post is under the Crown, it should be on a short leash with regards to disruptive practises it must be responsible to Canadians first and foremost, otherwise, what is the advantage of having a Crown run Postal Service.

Patrick B
said
0 0

Wow, and they wouldn't they force the OC Transpo dudes back to work?

Mike in Calgary
said
0 0

Hey Postman - middle class? My middle class is people who have a post secondary education or a trade ticket that work in a position that requires skill and education. Delivering mail to a superbox requires neither. You shouldn't be making middle class wages for a high school level job!

C'mon Lisa!!!
said
0 0

... any chance we can get this done before the start of game 7?

Who's on Strick?
said
0 0

JimJones
said
0 0

I am going to open a new company called Surrey Post...We will deliver your mail all throughout the lower mainland. Taking in resumes right now; must have passed Grade 2 or equivalent. If you have anything higher, don't bother applying, you are over-qualified.

CIndy in Calgary
said
0 0

I have been laid off. I have a great Resume. Where do I apply for work Canada Post! I can start tomorrow!!

JayJay
said
0 0

I love how there is no public support on here for the Postal Workers. That's the way it should be! I hope some of them are reading this so they realize exactly how little we care about their precious strike...We are not behind you on this, we do not support you in any shape or form and the only people that you are causing an inconvenience to are your family, friends and neighbors. You don't want to work? That's fine, quit your jobs, there are plenty of needy people who would fill in your spots...

JD - Vcr
said
0 0

I have been both in union and non-union environments but these are difficult times and this is not the time to be forcing your hand by striking. In this particular, it is particularly deplorable because Canada Post, to most Canadians, is an essential service and it should be treated that way. People are losing their jobs every day. It is far more important than Air Canada, a company that Canadians have continually had to bail out of one mess or another for more than 10 years now. There is always some issue with them. They were the company in that harsh winter we had in BC three years ago that left passengers on the tarmac in the plane not allowing them to leave but let's save their hide though. It certainly has never improved customer service. Ironic that these are the employees who are striking; the ones you can never get an answer out of.Canada Post should be considered an essential service. My husband right now is driving 60 miles to pick up a check so that he can in turn pay his bills. He is a contractor and also has to wait for head offices now to decide when they are ready to issue cheques - guess he wont get paid for awhile - oh yeah, and we have the HST in this province to contend with as well. Make sure someone convinces all the small businesses how much money they are saving with that.

Dean
said
0 0

I'm educated, unemployed, and more than willing to work. Screw the union, hire me and the countless others who are in the same position.

danielle taylor
said
0 0

I dont have a job rigt now, I would be happy to work at the post office! Get back to work, you bunch of greedy bums!

The Truth Shall Prevail
said
0 0

@ Matthew: Because they are mindless morons, caught up in their race to the bottom. Know what I say to them? ENJOY!!

Crickett
said
0 0

Harper needs to put out legislation to kick all unions in the entire country to the curb, they only protect people that have a hire date, unions are outdated, kick them all out and put all Canadians on a level playing field for getting a job, make it fair to the whole country, just because you have a hire date, does not mean you are a good employee and should be protected. I'm not in a union and quite proud of it, I don't need job protection because I'm good at what I do. Suck it up Canada post and Air Canada

Small Business Owner
said
0 0

So Minister you say that you have only had 30 complaints in your riding about the disruption of mail service well guess what here is number 31. Send them back to work!! This crown corporation is holding us the public hostage as there is no letter mail competitor to turn to for oversized letter mail an affordable shipping option!! If you aren't sending them back then open the competition floodgates. My small business needs letter mail to survive!!

Bottom_Line
said
0 0

Bash the union, bash the postal service, bash the government.Now that the bashings over can we get on with it.How much will it cost me?

Your Face.
said
0 0

At least the union was doing only rotating strikes so the mail was getting through. Now it's shut down completely. Canada post claims they are losing $100 million in revenue, but are forgetting to mention how much they are saving in not paying wages. It's a little disheartening to see how many people are supporting the corporations point of view, as reports are easily manipulated by them.Also, a lot of people are calling union workers lazy, ungrateful, etc, etc... We shouldn't be stereotyping, as i'm sure everyone on here works with at least 1 person that is one or all of the above. Just remember Canada Post decided to shut down mail service, the workers were only slowing it.

Chris
said
0 0

My grandmother worked for Canada Post in the 60's. It was not a good paying job, but it had benefits, a pension plan and job security. Even today, many workers, expecially those working for small businesses, don't have the benefit of sick days and a pension plan. i think the postal workers need to take a serious look at what their private counterparts are earning. They might then realize how good they have it.

E46Girl
said
0 0

Shut the hell up Lemelin, you forced the hand and now it's time to deal. The Harper government doesn't negotiate with terrorists!

raymond (Scarborough)
said
0 0

I am not at all sorry for the postal workers in a lockout. They are a bunch of greedy Canadians. For the past 3 years there is a postie here in Sheppard/Pharmacy that5 just parks his postal truck in front of his house from 12:30 till about 3:30 and just rest a t home before he goes back to work again presumably.I do not know how he gets away with it. I would like to have a job like that.
Raymond

Doug
said
0 0

The "comment" by Postman should make it very clear to all the level of thought these employees give to their demands; I think they simply look in the mirror and tell themselves they 'deserve' more becuase.

CanadianMom
said
0 0

I agree that the pension deficit is an issue - big issue - the majority of Canada Post workers have worked for that organization a long time and deserve to have the money they paid in - paid back to them in retirement. Who are these Canadians that wish us all to work for 6 bucks an hour? What planet are you from?

And, for those who believe mail service is 'obsolute' let me remind you - the majority of this Country is RURAL with zero-or very little broadband or other necessary infrastructure to keep us all connected. GET real.

Sid PE
said
0 0

Norm_D, I don't know where you do your wire transfers from. We did transfers from the US for over a year, it never cost more than $15. We've also done paypal transfers too for about the same cost. Either you're getting massive checks, in which $100 is peanuts, or you're being scammed.

RZ
said
0 0

Canada Post management and the media blew this labour dispute out of proportion. Even when the rotating strikes were going on, mail was still getting through. But for Canada Post management to cut back service and then mandate a nationwide lock out just so they can entice the government to mandate back to work legislation? That is completely irresponsible!I will reserve judgement in relation to the CUPW's demands, but what I can respect is their constitutional right to peaceful assembly. After all, short term profits cannot come at the expense of labour, community, and other important non-financial measures.

Roman
said
0 0

At least now there is a reason why our mail arrives late! :)

Rev in VC
said
0 0

And to think earlier this week they announced Canada's unemployment is at an all time low. Guess that didn't last long, it's time to trim the hedges. @karenmomofthree Unfortunate that your business relies on these jokers. Hopefully if you're in a position to, you can try using one of the other services like Fedex, Purolator, UPS or whatever else is available to you. Who knows, you might just like one of them enough to stick with them rather than using canada post's snail pace service.

The Truth Shall Prevail
said
0 0

"As a person who works in I.T. I can say if you want to keep your jpobs at Canada Post delivering snail mail, stop whining & get back to work, otherwise some IT person with lots of money will figure out a way to do everything digitally over the internet, we don`t need Canada Post anymore, time to shut it down & put the money into healthcare. I am very frustrated. Stop complaining, & get back to work, or someone will invent something & shut you down permanently."
NEWS FLASH!! How can we go back to work, when Canada Post has locked us out?? Fool.

mike
said
0 0

Hey Lisa my daughter uses Canada Post for her small business and has as of today had to refund up to 11 clients and soon maybe more at a cost she cannot afford.Get them back to work NOW. and get off your butt.By the way this is the 31st person complaining bisides your own riding.

dmanlee
said
0 0

IF they want better benefits and sick leave cut all there wages by $1 an hr and give them there benefits. I have amazing benefits and Have only used them once in 2 years. Hardly worth striking yourself jobless

Work Horse
said
0 0

The management team of Canada Post Corporation should be all dismissed. They are incompetent. The workers see it every day from the many flat screen TVs and the surveillance equipment that has been installed at enormous cost to the corporation. They were duped by the former head Moya Greene who borrowed $2.5 billion for new machines which really were not needed.

Anne
said
0 0

To "postman" - I do know posties and of how things work. Letter carriers often do get done earlier in the day. Also, the outrage against mgmt plans for sick leave are your own fault - posties have had accumulating sick leave, but rarely do they have many accumulated days because they use them like they are a freebie day off. Your abuse of sick leave has caused this problem. So take your medicine, many people don't even get the 7 days personal leave you are being offered in replacement. It's a new work world out there and you might as well adjust to it, just like the rest of us.

Harry S.
said
0 0

Our Canadian post office has helped to make this country what it is today. As population and immigration increases, so to does the amount of mail. If as Canadian's we do not stand up for our public post office workers, then one day the sytem will try to create less for the middle class familes. Both the public and private services will try to give us less. So to those that are bashing postal workers, shame on your behaviour as working class people. Maybe you should take a 18% wage decrease, and not be allowed to get leave when your family member dies. Public service workers such as hospital workers, police, fire, teachers, city workers, postal workers provide services which are affordable for all Canadians.

SlackJack
said
0 0

Where does this $3.2 B pension deficit come from. Could it be mis-management of the pension fund and are they now trying to recoup/coverup the problem.

Cheryl
said
0 0

Canadians are suckers. You buy all the bull companies feed you about losing money although in 12 days of rotating strikes they have apparently lost $100 million dolars. In 12 days!!!! Upper management is paid an obscene amounts of money to figure out ways to screw over the little guy. And don't forget about the huge bonuses when they succeed. This country will soon only be rich and poor. No in between because all people think about is why should they get more than me. Then lets put us all to minimum wage, no pension and dangerous working conditions so we will all be even.. The middle class worker will soon be extinct. I feel for my children, they were not born with a silver spoon in their mouths. I am a letter carrier and on beautiful sunny days I hear people say they would love to have my job. It's funny I never see those people during a heat wave or snow storm. I'm sure there are alot people with tougher jobs and who are paid alot less. But I bet your bosses aren't suffering, so who should you really be mad at. I make a decent wage but I am not living in a mansion or driving a Lexus. I will never apologize for wanting to earn a decent living and a decent retirement. And I would never ask anyone else to. Living in this country don't we all deserve that?

Elizabeth, Ontario
said
0 0

Good for Canada Post. The union needs to accept the fact that postal service is almost obsolete. Postal workers already earn more than many Canadians. They have excellent benefits. They need to appreciate what they have. They need to be grateful for the jobs they have and get back to work and stop this foolishness!!!

Shocked and Disgusted
said
0 0

So....an Airline is WAY MORE IMPORTANT than the postal service??? What the heck canadian government, give your head a shake!!

Brian
said
0 0

Mail delivery is an essential service. The union set the stage by having rotating walkouts, instead of working and negotiating. Their bluff was called by the full lockout. I hope this is resolved amicably but in the meantime, the gov't is right to take this action.

Steve in Manaotick
said
0 0

The Con's are showing there true colours, if you can't negoitiate then legislate. This dictatorship will break all unions, end pension benifits and turn Canada into a third world country. No rights or freedoms.

s
said
0 0

If the union falls I hope all of you bitter people on here whining that the postal workers have it so easy, do get the scraps of their jobs. Then you can go in for minimum wage and break your back with no holidays or sick days. Just because you have a crappy job doesn't mean you should take away good jobs from people lucky enough to have them. The postal workers have decent wages and benefits because they fought for them and all you people whining you'd do their jobs should realize - the reason you are so jealous and want their jobs is because of the benefits the unions have fought to get these people. Or would you prefer we all work minimum wage contract jobs with no security or rights?

MontrealRock
said
0 0

It's easy to blame union leaders. Most of the time when a vote to strike is taken only 20%-30% of the membership show up to vote. Unions have out lived their usefulness. I would love to get a raise just because I was part of a union. I thought rewards were given because you did more than was expected. Not because you belong to the "STALINIST COOPERATIVE." Fire them all. Thousands of people would take their jobs. And, provide better services!

ray
said
0 0

Peolpe say "look what unions have done to Greece. Well look what corporations have done to the good old U.S.A. Stongest nation on earth brought to it's knees, and on the brink of bankruptcy because of corprate greed and coruption.

Long Retired
said
0 0

I can agree with those who remind us that it is the Unions that worked so hard for many of the benefits we enjoy. I, for instance have a Guaranteed (defined benefit) Pension that a public sector worked hard for.
My point though is that while these benefits etc were hard-won, the continuing work stppages etc have no place in current society. Benefits and wages and conditions of work are subjects for negotiation and not blackmail. Union leaders have, for many years made decisions that were not and are not in the best interests of their members or the country in general. Looka t what has happened in Europe; look at what used to happen in UK until the Unions were tackled by the government. There are too many 'fat cats' in positions where a strike does not affect their income and there is a total lack of reference to the workers. If those union leadere also had to live on "strike pay" there would be less job action and more negotiation with accommodation.

Ron
said
0 0

You union bosses you can rant as much as you want on how much you help your comrades-but in reality you don't do much for us. Just collect our dues from our pay cheques every two weeks and then huff and puff throughout the year on the merits of being unionised. Working within a union you are confined of your job description. A classic scenerio where one's creativity is killed even when one has the talent to contribute, since this is not permitted by your collegues or higher management. So as the years roll by- one becomes a mere machine or more so a zombie- I work in a unionised environment and have experienced a non unionised environment, the big difference is in a unionised environment you can choose not to work and that is happening most of the times- You are NEVER EVER CHALLENGED!

Lorne
said
0 0

It is quite obvious that both sides in this dispute do not know what the word negotiate means _ " talk over and arrange terms; parley; confer; consult;". Issues are put on the table by both sides - issues are removed in exchange for other issues by agreement. The public really does not know these issues as they are constantly changing in the negotiation process. When a final agreement is reached, both parties then generally let the public know what the final outcome is. The posters on this forum that rant really have no idea what the negotiations involve and should keep their opinions to themselves. The tidbits of information you receive from the media really tell you nothing about the process that is underway. When all is said and done, then you can make your comments on whether or not the agreement is to your satisfaction. You will then have all the facts.

Phil
said
0 0

Air Canada THEN the post? HELLO? Get the mail going NOW please. There are pension checks and prescriptions in the mail - the frequent fliers can book another flight for God's sake!

NRM
said
0 0

If you don't allow government unions to strike, then what's the point of having a union? Either allow the unions to operate as unions, or put a different system in place.
That said, hurry up and get back to work! I happen to be one of the few Canadians that uses Canada Post on a regular basis and I've got quite a few products and money stuck in mail limbo!

James
said
0 0

All the postal workers want to do is keep what they got. Canada Post spent 2 Billion Dollars on machines the last year and are trying to get it back by increasing workloads and lessening pay. They'll make it back in time with these machines so leave the people alone. Status Quo and they'll be happy. The Union conceded two things, their severence package and money on their prescription drug plan to get a contract last time. They have offered some reductions this time, what else can they do?

D.L
said
0 0

In my honest opinion, the time for unions to be decertified everywhere should be considered. The chosen few enjoy all the benefits from the dues while the hard working people that pay those dues seem to suffer. The days of a union working for the people stopped many years ago when the greedy saw it as a way to get paid and feed off others. The interesting thing is the majority of your basic rights are becuase you are Canadain and the Labour Board mandates those rules, not because of what your union negotiates for you. We all complain about taxes being misused and the Politicians serving only themselves and lining their pockets...couldn't we say the same about a Union???

tom
said
0 0

I opened my mailbox yesterday and it is empty. HOORAY!!! No junk mails & flyers which I DO NOT WANT. Think of the clean water wasted to generate junk mails. Think of the carbon emission to generate and deliver the junk mails. Canada Post can strike as long as they like ... I don't miss my junk mail.

Len
said
0 0

Cannot union bash - was once in a union. Do understand the public's standpoint but, if a group of workers do strike for what they feel is just and fair is government interference necessary. Some strikes and lockouts must be outlawed - nurses, emergency personnel, police, firefighters and several others - but shouldn't we not let things play out? Society today was created on the backs of hard working people and unions did help them achieve some semblance of a decent standard of living. If the government steps in unnecessarily and forces workers back that, to me, that is union bashing. I only fear that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Ed in Alberta
said
0 0

Darn. I was hoping that the Union and Canada Post would use their polarized, siege mentalities to batter each other into oblivion allowing a new, non-unionized and cost-efficient mail delivery system to take over. Perhaps one that didn't have to rely on delivering junk (oops, sorry... "bulk") mail for it's profit margin.

Bill
said
0 0

well I saw this coming.........Canada Post planned this one. They probably were waiting on the union to force a general strike but the union was aware they would be hence why they just maintained rotating, Crappy post outsmarted them

Steve
said
0 0

Posties, Canadians are now getting used to Canada Posts' new (lower) standards of service - if it could get any worse.Do you think if (or when) you get back to work, things will ever be the same? We already have a low opinion of the Post Office and you have done well to reinforce that. Wait for the layoff notices whenever a settlement is reached.Mission accomplished.

Mick
said
0 0

We could kill two birds with one stone here. Fire every unionized employee not willing to work under a new agreement that reflects the reality of dying business. Then offer those jobs to able bodied welfare recipients. If the able bodied welfare recipents refuse the work, their welfare is cut off and the job is offered to someone else. Our provincial and federal books would be in the black in no time.

B in Ottawa
said
0 0

The government should legislate both Air Canada and Canada Post employees back to work as soon as possible, which it looks like they are prepared to do. Newsflash to you union members: a great many Canadians would love to have your jobs with high salaries and gold-plated pension plans. In a changing world with a tough economic reality, corporations have to find efficiencies. Suck it up and stop whining like everyone else. Get back to work and stop damaging the Canadian economy.

JR
said
0 0

Do these people think that the gov't is made of money. The Postal Service has already lost $70M from the strike, what do you really think your chances are for a raise in this time of economic when Canada is recovering from it, you want to put it back and you probably already make more $$ than most employed people these days who have to work 2 jobs to support their families. And besides the mail is so slow I have almost nearly ended using it. I get my bills by email to save a tree.....how about you?

Freeman69
said
0 0

Blah,blah,blah. strike ,strike, lock out. Feels like summer in the seventies in Canada all over again. The Canada Post Corporation will break it's union. Then the Feds will sell off or franchise the post offices to private enterprise. The have already started with Purolator. Remember the Feds and airport spinoff? Bad CUPW move to strike for more during recessionary times and times have changed. All my important stuff and bills are handled online or by FAX. I Skype with my kids. Who writes letters anymore other than my 102 year old mother. Yesterday DHL delivered my parcel within 24hours of my ordering a replacement part. Canada Post would have taken over a week.

Anne
said
0 0

Fire Denis Lemelin....oh wait, if he's fired he will collect umpteen millions in payout/pensions etc. That union leader wins no matter the outcome, the rest of us, the taxpayers just keep paying and paying and...
This taxpayer is sick of this nonsense so how about we fire the lot of those postal workers and let some people who need and want jobs do the work!

HMMMM...
said
0 0

First of all we don't get paid off of tax payers dollars.Second of all it is not about the wages.Third of all we serve all of Canada everyday, ALL of CANADA....Fourth, peoples on here complaining about all the junk mail/ad mail they receive. Well that junk mail/ad mail is for all your Grandma and Grandpa stores in your neighbourhood, you know the ones that you go to for your daily coffees for your flowers those ad mails create monies in your communities for your small business'. So in the end it is not really junk mail/ad mail it is your neighbour trying to advertise their service in your community to better their lives and the lives of their communities.We work hard, you work hard, we have this opportunity to do better within the Corporation that we work, ahhh too bad you don't have that option either....

Sid PE
said
0 0

Until they start doing a proper job, I will not support such ludicrous salaries and pensions. I have yet to see a 3 day package arrive in less than 7, and damaged to boot. Do your job properly and shut up. It's not all about you.

Paul
said
0 0

RE: GB, if you did not make the cut last time you applied to Canada Post you probably won't this time either!

Dave in Ottawa
said
0 0

It's coming from an expert, folks. If there is anyone out there that knows the definition of "irresponsible" it's Lemonlime. Now look what he has done to all these workers just to satisfy his own power trip. This was totally predictable and he never saw it coming, or so he says. Now he is lying on his back, kicking his heels, and crying that it isn't fair, it isn't fair.It's time the membership had a really good meeting to discuss the situation he has put them in and then take him to the curb. It's Canada Post's ball and bat, and if they don't want to play nice, they can all just go home.

chel in the Peg
said
0 0

I've worked in a hugely competitive industry (non union) for the past 20 years - I'm well compensated and I have very decent pension and benefit package, so I'm not an envious "hater".This issue for me is this: CP is a monopoly. Therefore, consumers and business are held hostage whenever the union hits the picket line. Fortunately technology has provided us with many options, but I can't help but resent being controlled by a union agenda that I don't support. It's just that simple.

Ontario
said
0 0

The lock out hasn't affected me, nor is it likely to. Nor will affect pensioners as their cheques will still be delivered, albeit later than normal. According to the government web site the 20th is slated for delivery.As for the striking postal workers 'locked out', careful what you wish for. You voted strike and now you have it. And I would also look into continued education. When all this mess is done and over with I sense that many of you will be searching for employment. Good luck making what you do now (and the perks that come with it) with a grade 12 education.

postman
said
0 0

because they can tell you whatever they want and wont prove it. they had 7 months to negotiate and didnt. the reason they locked us out is to force legislation on us. they care about there fat bonuses not about the little guy trying to feed his family. I want to be out there working but they dont so im not gonna take any crap about this being our fault. rotating strikes are affective for us because we can force them to negotiate without putting a dent in our customers pocket book. CPC couldnt care less about the canadian population and their bottom line they care about there own. they say Mail has dropped 50% since this started.....i encourage everyone posting here to call the union and ask for photos that we are all taking at our post office and sorting plants of the the millions of pieces of mail sitting there collecting dust since last week. we have our proof they dont!

paleo
said
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This is a great opportunity to fix the problem... for now and the future. Down the road with the whole works of them. Lets give the jobs to people who want to work. Would the posties re-think their position as they change places with the unemployed, I suspect so. Lots of people looking for good jobs, lets give them the opportunity to apply for 48,000 newly available ones.

Lalal
said
0 0

If they have complaints about their jobs go find something else in these times of hardship. I am sure there are plenty of people without jobs that would gladly take over yours. How dare you with secure jobs, good pensions and benefits strike. SHAME ON YOU. Hope the strikers get nothing.

CanadaEh?
said
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Everyone in this country has a choice to continue their education when they finish high school. Whether it be a skilled trade, college, university..... or nothing. When you chose not to pursue any further education after high school, you limit your options for employment for the rest of your life. For those who landed good paying jobs with benefits and pensions right out of high school....I congratulate you. You have made the most with what you have. However, you cannot lose sight of the fact that you are being compensated far more than others that have the same level of education and do the same sort of work. You have to realize when you have it good, take advantage of it while you can, but don't be surprised when it ends.

Karenmomofthree
said
0 0

THIS MAKES ME SO ANGRY! This should never happen. I use Canada post for my business and I rely on this service. I am so frustrated with this situation, I know that Canada post has the money, I give it to them weekly. Explain to me why it cost me more to mail with in Canada and takes three times as long as it does for me to mail the very same items to the USA? I AM FED UP and so not like being held hostage by either party. This is an essential service and should be treated as such. I am furious.

Postman
said
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for all the people here bashing Canada post employees, you should all be ashamed of yourselves. we are middle class peple just like the majority of people posting here. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT before you post moronic comments saying fire them all and snail mail will be obsolete. Take your letter call UPS or FED EX and ask them what they'll charge to mail your letter it wont be 59 cents it will be $10. we are the cheapest way to ship letters and parcils for our fellow canadians. we are not the ones demanding things in the round of negotiations. Canada post is!! 3.2 billion dollar shortfall.....well of course when you have idiots dumping all our money in the stock market, just look at the charts of the stock market in 2009 and they want us to paid for their idiotic mistakes! they want me to carry more mail then i can hold in my hand. alot of ignorant people thing we show up at our first door of delivery at 9am and criticize us when were done at noon or 1pm and say we have the life, well i got news for people who think that, our day starts hours before that first delivery and doesnt end at our last door we go back to prepared your junk mail for the next day! call canada post and ask them how has there losses jumped from 65M on friday to 100M on tuesday, last time I checked the vast majority of us dont work weekends. considering we worked monday and they shut us down tuesday whos fault is it that they lost $35M...which by they way were very quick to pick that number. give me a break! you want to believe what canada post says then fine go ahead.......

Stayhome
said
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At what point is enough. Above average starting wages, paid sick leave, 12 months paid maternity leave, etc! There are ways to go about change but to effect the population of Canada by locking out employees is ridiculous. They are hoping to be ordered back to work by the Federal government so that they can take the high ground. I am all for reliable mail delivery service and in my experience I am quite happy with the current service. However, how is it if someone removes a piece of mail from someones mailbox or tampers with mail it becomes a federal offence. Yet when Canada Post stops mail service to include the delivery of mail which they took from customers with the assurance it would be delivered, it is okay. I fortunately am not dependant on the mail service but for those that receive payments, salaries etc by mail are. You are now potentialy effecting the quality of life of Canadian citizens. If anything deliver all mail in possesion and stop accepting mail from customers so that everything is delivered and other means can be found to deliver mail. It is irresponsible and in my mind illegal of Canada Post to have done this. Yes there are issues to be worked out but to what end. My only hope now is that you are all out of work long enough to understand the true meaning of unfairness and hardship. Be grateful for what you have.

It's what it is
said
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@ Lorraine... The employees of the LCBO can strike since the Board has not been legislated a "necessary service". That being said, the employees of the LCBO and it's respective union have reached collective agreements with each and every contract negotiation, many times well past their due date. The employees of the LCBO have seen available full-time positions drastically reduced to "casual" positions which has presented a substantial reduction in employees with both benefits and pensions. The starting wages for new employees have been reduced as well, so any myths that exist that LCBO employees are overpaid are without foundation. The LCBO continues to increase profits to the province of Ontario (the taxpayers) every year without fail, and the LCBO remains the largest importer of beverage alcohol in the world. The employees of Canada Post could learn something from the LCBO if they would just sit back and realize how spoiled they've become.

Bob
said
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WOW! Yesterday's noon news...all smiles & ha ha ha, on the picket lines. On the late night local news...no smiles, & WTF happened??? So much for your smug 'we've got you by the short ones' attitude! I guess the tail DOESN'T wag the dog! You've definitely out lived any usefulness you once had.

polomolokguy
said
0 0

Shut it down,privatize it.All out of work,bust the union and start over or this blackmail will never stop!

rr 99
said
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PEOPLE LISTEN!! As you keep saying you get "junk mail" mostly in your mailbox. Since the early 1990's Canada Post has tried to get an monopoly on this because they want HUGE profits. It is simpler for a marketeer to get Canada Post to send out thier advertisements in bulk. Canada Post DOES NOT rely on the tax payers for any finanicial conciderations. It is the other way around. The GOVERNMENT has an mandate that Canada Post gives any profits back to the government. I believe it is in the sum of 4 billion dollars since the early 1990. Canada Post is the BULLY here!! Way about the poor rural mail carriers?? They get below minumum wage after all expenses ( they have to use thier OWN cars for delivery)...time for Canada Post to settle this lockout and the current Rural mail carrier agreement as well.

Norm_D
said
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To Matt and B.J. Direct deposit from out of the country (USA in this case) is not an option as it is not available. I too get checks from the USA. Americans will not direct deposit to foreign banks only to US based banks and that involves paying US taxes. There is a wire transfer but they are very costly. Last time that I used one it cost me almost $100.00. So I to am looking for an alternative. But business both large and small have this same dilemma, out of country transactions. To our government, you will legislate Air Canada in an instant when there are viable alternatives both economically and practical but not a peep on this. Your priorities are screwed up.

Bob,Calgary,Alberta
said
0 0

I am extremely pleased that the Post Office has taken the step of locking these people out. It is essential for the future of Canada that Government starts to rein in the salaries and benefits of public service emloyees (and make no mistake these people are public service employeees in fact). If nothing is done with the public service Canadians face huge unfunded pension liabilities that will cost all of us more and more over time. These is nothing wrong with unions if they act responsibly but in the case of Public Service unions their constant inflation of wages and benefits must be stopped. Let's hope the Union members use their common sense and work with the Post Office to control costs and increase efficiency.

Scott (in AB Party Country)
said
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GTA Dave: "BUT first be ready to give back all those things that THEIR fights and losses have given you, like your paid mat leave." WHAT paid mat Leave...in Canada Post maybe but seldom, if ever, anywhere else! What's worse...the corporation that exercises their right to lock out or the union exercising their collective rights to walk out?

David Fraser Nanoose Bay BC
said
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Quite frankly I have no problem with mail delivery only three days a week. In this day and age, do we really need mail delivery five days per week? This will save Canada Post millions of dollars that could be spent on other means to keep improving efficiencies. It's unfortunate the postal unions are so short sighted in their contract demands. I guess this is what you get for your greed.

robin hood
said
0 0

Well hello future�(see Greece) how do you like that bird�s eye view of where we�re headed? If seeing these imagines does not give you pause to perhaps consider speaking with one voice to halt our government and conglomerates from robbing us of our livelihoods nothing is ever going too!

Bubba
said
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I hope all the union reps and heads stop getting paid while they go on these strikes because no matter what they end up settling on, the workers will never see that lost money again. I'm betting they never stop getting paid when they tell their members to strike.

Also, this rotating strike crap is a lame way to get your point accross. Good on Canada Post for locking them out. Your either On Strike, or your working. Not both. You should let your members work and continue negotiations (your job as a union), and present the options to the members, instead of trying to bully your members into thinking they could/should receive something they never will.

MontrealMadness
said
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For the union to even point figures at Canada Post with accusations of being irresponsible is completely ridiculous!!! Look in the mirror !!irresponsibility is calling rotating strikes across the country in order not to pay the employees for the days they are not at work!! If the CUPW is so keen on getting there point across why end the strike and put union book back in place temporarily? Because there is no money to pay the employees when they are off!! that�s why!!! Maybe if less shop stewards were flown out to all week inclusive vacations around the world ex: England, Swiss, and even to Mexico to allegedly visit postal plants and there unions there would be a little more money to pay these people! The only thing that the union is responsible for is Canada Post forcing there hand and calling a lockout!!!! Good for CPC to take a stand , they want to play hard ball, no problem the bases are loaded and we are about to hit a grand slam!!!!!

Sumer61
said
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GTA Dave:How can you foist all the blame on females for taking maternity leave? Have you not heard of paternity leave for new fathers? I am astounded by your ignorance.

Chantal
said
0 0

My god...you know if I made 18.00/hr when starting a new job I would be thrilled.......What the heck are these workers trying to pull....My husband who was injured was able to get back in the workforce by creating his own business which is 100% required Canada Post services..With this stike action, his business has dropped to almost zero..or working for nothingMaybe I should send my bills to these workers !since we wont be able to pay them!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jane
said
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No sympathy from me. I have never in my lifetime had a permanent job with benefits or union support. I work on contracts that are often cut due to budget deficits, but, I love what I do. I don't have the right to strike or an bully union backing me, but I love what I do. I guess there in lies the rub. No sympathy for Air Canada employees either. Suck it up and welcome to reality.

Syl
said
0 0

Strikes should be outlawed. If you work under a contract and it is about to expire, a new contract should have to be signed and in force at least one week before the old one expires. If not, it would go to binding arbitration. Anyone who goes on strike should be considered to have resigned from the company, ie; quit their job.
By the way, Canada Post is much more of an essential service to me than Air Canada ever will be. Legislate Canada Post back to work, PLEASE!!!

GHW
said
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I don�t object to postal working asking for a continuance of the same benefits or even asking for more. I don�t object to Canada Post asking for concessions from its workers in the face of declining demand for their service. What I do object to is the lack of checks and balances found throughout all unionized government owned companies and the civil service. The kind of checks and balances that would put a private company under if union demands push beyond what the business can sustain. When an unsustainable private company goes under, new companies spring up and fill the void. To a large degree this system models nature and is very necessary for the long term survival of our culture. Having said all this I understand that we�ll likely always have government owned businesses and a civil service. In many areas it even seems to make more sense. Perhaps in these circumstances what is needed is some kind of public oversight with binding arbitration powers. Here in Manitoba we have provincial government run public insurance for our vehicles and recently received large refunds because they charged more than they spent last year. We would not have got these refunds had it not been for the audit conducted on them by an independent body. I spent the money on a PS3.

Cambob in Toronto
said
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Canada Post has been losing market share for its services for 20 years. The Postal Unions have been demanding increases in thier wages and benefits all along. It's simple math. Sadly CUPW and the union bosses only see Canada Post as a giant tax cow they can suck on forever and ever. Privatize. Privatize. Privatize. The taxpayers of Canada have more important things to worry about that subsidizing another greedy 'public' union.

ex postie
said
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As a former employee of Canada Post, I can tell you that in general, postal workers are a very hard working, dedicated group of people. Canda post supervisors were almost draconian, trying to make sure that no one 'wasted' a second of company time, to the point that they questioned people if they took 30 seconds longer than 'average' on a bathroom break! How many of you are so tightly supervised at work? Have you ever had a supervisor posted outside a bathroom with a stop watch? It is unbelievable. The fact that Postal Workers want to earn a living wage, work in safe conditions and have benefits is a good thing and shouldn't seem unreasonable. These benefits spill over and become the 'norm' for other workers. I bet many posters on this topic wish they had those same rights and benefits. This is how those things come into existence - someone fights for them. Unions are not perfect, but without them, how would employees be treated? I suspect many of the bitter posters on here know that answer. I am grateful to the Postal Workers for being willing to walk the line to improve working conditions for all. I know how much a strike hurts everyone, and I wish all you postal workers reading this a quick resolution with a good outcome. Your efforts are not in vain.

dante vancouver
said
0 0

If it is an essential service order them back.

UrbanDweller
said
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I think the real cause of Canada Posts lost revenue has been the media over exagerating the strike and big companies sending out their bills in different ways to customers. Having the rotating strikes wasn't really impacting customers but was still getting the point across. I mean, come on, cutting mail service one day in one city doesn't really disrupt things that much, but the media blew that WAY out of proportion making it seem like the end of the world, or like it was a walk out across the entire country. So then Canada Post cut service across the country by 2 days, now THAT hurt business. Doing a complete lock out is just making matters worse for them and hurting their business more. The union workers seemed to have wanted to give minimal distruptions while getting their point across, and for that I aplaud them. Shame on the media and Canada Post for making this worse then it needed to be.

Pat - Toronto
said
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74 posts at this time and only a couple supporting our neighbours and friends out there on the picket lines.. I am ashamed at all of you! ! I know what it is like to be on strike..it is not fun, it is a nightmare and now to see and hear so many of the people for whom they are fighting.. insulting them instead of supporting them this is just awful Shame on all of you!! IF you are not a postal worker and have never walked in their shoes than you are just blowing wind. The unions are trying to help the employees, the employees are obeying the unions.. the workers are trying to keep their jobs.. STOP sounding like a bunch of jealous two year olds and give some support to your fellow Canadians.. BEFORE we are all working for less.. which is what the big guys will do to us if the unions are gone..

nene
said
0 0

They are very fortunate that they have job, USPS is bankrupt and could not pay their workers. Canada Post on the other hand paying their employee and they want more. There's a lot of people will to take their job. with the economy and jobless rate nowadays. I can see Canada Post agreeing with their demand but are the employee will to cut jobs and limit delivery and cut time to accomodate their demand? That is the only solution here.

Syl
said
0 0

Postal Employees should be legislated back to work. If that can be done for Air Canada, why not Canada Post? For many of us Canada Post is much more essential than Air Canada ever will be.

Northern Princess
said
0 0

Oh for Pete Sakes, this is not about the one that is on the left or the one that is on the right (kinda sounds like Johnny Cash's song). It has nothing to do with who you voted for, the Conservatives, NDP or Libs. Stop trying to make this a political thing. This is about a company (crown corporation) who's employees are voting strike for better pensions, wages and benefits. Keep with the story with your comments or shut your computer down.

Lorraine
said
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No governement positions should be allowed to strike.

In Ontario, for years, the LCBO is considered "a necessary service" (hic) therefore, the LCBO personnel was not allowed to strike.

In my opinion, government services such as: mail, health, education, police and probably some more that I can't think of righ now, SHOULD FALL under "necessary service" and therefore, NO STRIKE ALLOWED at any time.

J.C.
said
0 0

What irks me about unions is the fact that they seldom present the offers made to their members to discuss and decide what they want. There is always a severe lack of communication between union leaders and their members after the onsight of a strike. After all, all members did not vote for a strike in the first place and many have since likely decided that the proposals are okay with them. It is often union heads that are stubborn etc as they get paid an income from their members even while a strike is on so they do not hurt much financially. Union members should push for information as to what offers are being made and get full information not just the bits that union heads send them if any. In some past strikes at different companies the members wanted to go back to work but the union refused and many lost jobs when the companies closed up shop. This is not right! Personally I have worked for both unionized and non unionized businesses and found that in non unionized businesses the company heads were more receptive to employees requests etc when it was reasonable. They were more approachable as well. This is probably because they did not always have a union head threatening them with a lot of greedy and unreasonable demands. It takes give and take on both sides not just on one side! Demands have to be reasonable to reach an agreement. Try real communication rather than huffing and puffing continuously. It might just work!!

Aaron in Toronto
said
0 0

So the union head blast the decision of the lockout and claim it is irresponsible. Wow, how hypocritical. So your member strike at random location at a different day is not irresponsible? I don't know why but any union that went on strike could never get the support from the people. Can union get better PR firm to help them shape their image? Looks like all union represents look educate require job but have high salary. I support the worker but not the union. Look what union did to Greece?

Max
said
0 0

A message for those strikers-your days are numbered before snail mail becomes obsolete.A lot of other courier companies will gladly take up the slack in delivering letters or parcels.As for you slackers on the picket lines- NOBODY or none of us is going to blink - cause it looks like you have dug your own graves. Only pity those people who really want to work but are prevented because you will not let them. Totally irresponsible !

GTA Dave
said
0 0

The population of Canada [females at least] have a lot to be thatful to the CUPW for but mostly their paid 1 year of maternity leave. The CUPW led the initial strike to get the initial 6 months UNPAID maternity leave, the next stpe was partial pay for the 6 months of mat leave, they then went on strike to get the first 12 months of mat leave half paid. The final step was pay for the full 12 months. During these strikes many MEN [the majority of picketers] lost their homes, their families and their savings. Many of the things that we now take for granted as 'it's the law' only came about as a result of a Public Service union going on stike to get it. Some of these "postees" work in places were steel plates need to be welded to sewer access in order to keep out sewer rats. Bash your postee all you want BUT first be ready to give back all those things that THEIR fights and losses have given you, like your paid mat leave.

David West Coast
said
0 0

While productive workers no longer generate revenue for the Corporation, 4500 Senior Managers making $1000 per day average continue to collect their salaries, while they run the Public Postal Service into the ground.
The Lockout is the sign of an desperate and incompetent Management Team, whose only idea is force a complete suspension of service and wait for the Harper Government to Legislate the terms of capitulation for the Workers.
Great job.

Steve/Toronto
said
0 0

Steve/Toronto
Our mail delivery has been inconsistant and slow for the last 4 years. Good on Canada post for standing up to this Union of ungreatfull employees.

IM_
said
0 0

Finally...someone telling the unions that we have had enough! Great job, Canada Post! These idiots need to get way past their "me, me, me" attitude and get a dose of reality. They say they are simply trying to keep what they have...guess what...so are we all!! The reality of today's world is that change is inevitable. We are all trying to maintain status quo...but the vast majority of us are not trying to achieve that by disrupting everyone else, as this strike is. Get over yourselves, be glad you still have a job at all, given the fact that the mail service is rapidly becoming redundant. I suggest you slink off into a corner and try hard not to get noticed!

Ric
said
0 0

Government to Union;up yours......Bahaha

don.h
said
0 0

if you dont like how your employer treats you, you should excersise your freedom of choice and quit. if you are a hard worker you should have no trouble finding another job. all unions are good for these days, is to protect dead wood.

Terry Laraman
said
0 0

I don't get this! The govenment is thinking of forcing Air Canada employees back to work, but no mention of forcing postal employees back to work. You would think the mail would be more important than the airlines.

In Regina
said
0 0

Why don't we hear more about the legislation just passed in Wisconsin? It's about time we got serious about exorbitant public service salaries and unsupportable pension plans.

FYI
said
0 0

As far as the strike goes, I think people need to just be happy they have a job...too many people out there are jobless, although, for those of you who think being a letter carrier is easy, I would like to see you try it! Rain shine, hot or cold, snow storm..etc, no matter what the weather, you have to be out there doing the work. There is sooooo much more to being a Canada Post emplyoee that most people don't realize...so stop judging! Lets get things back on track and be happy we all have a job! Oh yeah...and for those of you who think CP employees get every holiday off...NOT TRUE...they DO NOT get family day off!

D. Fritz
said
0 0

Good for Canada Post. Its time to get realistic with our government spending. Can most private companies afford to pay $24.00 per hour starting wage to non-skilled employees? Plus percs? I am keeping my fingers crossed that this may be a start of getting that pendulum swinging back to private enterprise.

Dick Kearns
said
0 0

Government will legislate Air Canada back to work so they can get back home from Ottawa but is willing to allow small business to suffer under the long term strike by CUPW.Make sense to them I guess.D.K.Lindsay

Dave
said
0 0

There's been a lot less traffic with all of these mail trucks off the street :)

Luke
said
0 0

A lockout, well take it and smile. Irresponsible execs.....let me guess, all the negative comments below are from supervisors at Canada Post......now there are jobs that should be slashed....not the people actually doing the work.

Jennifer
said
0 0

This has a serious effect on us. Me and my fiancee have been waiting for his passport to come for weeks, and the rotating strikes have effected it. Now we have no chance to get it and we are suppose to be leaving the country next week for our wedding....
Please come up with an agreement.

manitoba
said
0 0

I think they should just start hiring new people. This is why most companies are replacing people with "robots" because it is cheaper. Greed is going to destroy all. I wish i could do there job, they dont realize how good they really have it.

Sober
said
0 0

Denis Lemelin should take a grade one lesson in economics. You cannot squeeze blood out of a rock. If you bleed your employer empty, it will be empty. What else is there to say? You killed Canada Post, sir. And the jobs of many people that you pretend to represent. I hope they do to you what you did to them.

Evy
said
0 0

Good, glad to hear it, fire them all and hire people that aren't working, kick the union to the curb, they only help people that are lazy because they have job security, who gives a crap, I don't have job security and I love my job and I am also good at my job, because I am not in a union and know that they could hire anybody off the street to do my job. Unions only help lazy, self centered, arrogant people. They should be abolished in the entire country and let everybody be on the same level for all jobs/

Suzie
said
0 0

I also agree with Canada Post. It is about time. As much as I need them to deliver mail, I do have a big problem with their salary and some of their demands. It is hard work, I agree but so is mine!

Matthew
said
0 0

Its a mindless job, sure. Tell me pencil pusher's making 6 digit. Do your legs and back hurt so much after work, that you cannot go out and enjoy your down time? How about some postal works that walk ALL day long and are in so much pain after doing their job, should they not be compensated generously for the wear and tear on their body in the forum of a respectable, livable compensation? It awful easy for allot of you to throw those stones at your fellow man. I live in a society of cold heart monsters. My daughter the other night said casually to my son, don't worry Aiden there's no such thing as monsters. Ah the innocence of youth. I found a few here. So much hate in the world, and yet here on forum that encourages exchange of information and ideas, we use it for mud slinging and fear mongering. YOU ARE ALL BEING CONTROLLED AND MANIPULATED BY OTHERS, BORN INTO A WORLD OF CAPITALISM SLAVERY. WHATS THE POINT OF YOUR EDUCATION IF YOU CANNOT EVEN SEE OR UNDERSTAND THIS! MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY WOULD YOU HATE ON OTHERS THAT ARE TRYING TO FIGHT THE STATUS QUO!

dont care about the posties!
said
0 0

I think its a bit short sighted to assume that anyone speaking harshly about the union/union employees are bitter or jealous or any other assumption being made. I make a good living, I am not jealous. The thing that bothers me is the SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT these people have. I work hard to EARN increases in salary and extra perks in my job, as should everyone. Extras like that should be based on achievement, not on entitlement.

Just because unions got us to a place of better working conditions doesnt mean we have to have them forever. Things become obsolete, unions included.

Marc
said
0 0

Funny how people bad mouth the entity that brought you all the five day, forty hour work week! The same bunch who gave you pensions and stat holidays and a voice in the workplace. Sad that the only time some people call on their union is when they REALLY need it!

M.M.B. Ont
said
0 0

@ Matthew..We all have a right to fight for decent wages. I don't think this is the real point with this Canada Post situation. They are not being refused a raise but the Union wants more in pensions and benefits. I can understand your neighbor's situation now this is my story. Firstly my husband does not work for Canada Post, however the company he works for pays way less than Canada Post wages. He has benefits which we are grateful for but he has had no wage increase in about 7 years. Many times when there is a a shortage of work, the employess are asked to work 3 or 4 days a week and lose 1 or 2 days pay as a result or use vacation time to get a full weeks pay. And when the work orders come in and have to be met , employees are asked to work 10 hrs a day to complete the jobs. Add to this, he has to drive 100 km a day return trip to work and has to pay the increased price of gas at the pump, the increase prices of home heating fuel and electricity cost etc etc. All this on 1/2 the wage of a postal worker. The employess do this because they at least have a JOB ! P.S. Did I mention that my little bit of wage I make has not increased since 2004 and is frozen till 2012 ? But at least I have a Job!!

Debbie
said
0 0

At least with the rotating strikes the mail was still moving but now thanks to Canada Post all Canadians are being inconvienced. CP does not have my sympathy. I support the strike because people should not be expected to work for slave wages and be grateful. Employees want to be treated with dignity and feel a little appreciation from the corporation. How can the middle-class keep the economy afloat if there's no money to spend? The poor are working for rent and food money and have no extra to spend. The rich are getting tax breaks so it's up to the ever diminishing middle-class to cover the shortfall created by both the greedy rich and the cash-poor working class. Something has got to give. Why should the middle-class give up their pensions so the rich can get richer?

luckydan2
said
0 0

Mister Union Boss, you think that Canada Post locking you guys out is irresponsible? What about the time before the internet came into being, you had the whole country over a barrel with your constant strikes. Was mail delivery your prime objective or feeding your faces with your arrogance knowing that no one could do anything at that time. Right now with the advent of the internet and people's changed attitudes towards you and the post office, I hope you strike yourself out of existence!!!!!!!!!!

Zee
said
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No, Canada Post will survive, our mail costs will go up and so will the volume of Junk Mail that Canada Post gets paid to deliver by volume discounts. Yep a Crown Corporation, the Pony Express if you will, will subsist on Junk Mail, it's guaranteed high volume. So even less responsibility/skill for the postal workers. You and my taxes will keep this Crown Corporation alive and those same taxes will pay for outlandish pay and benefits which are based on inflation! Inflation is what brings economies down. Glad I've lived more than 3/4 of my life! I rarely get mail but when I do it is very important.

Robert in Montreal
said
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Canada Post was absolutely correct in locking out their workers. Rotating strikes could have gone on forever. This lock-out will force everyone to start negotiating seriously.

GirlInCalgary
said
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I say they should let the union go, hire back the current "union" members as regular employees. Sure posties have to work in less then favourite conditions, and carry heavy bags, but they are paid for it. I didn't start my job off at $23 dollars an hour, and I have a post secondary education. Also I get 5 sick days per year, anything over that, is submitted to STD. I don't get to demand an increase for this year, or the next three years.

All striking did, was send customers looking for new ways to send/receive mail, Maybe most of the customers that have had to switching from using Canada Post will never come back. Therefore the union has basically given away their jobs, even if they get what they're asking for they'll probably be huge cuts coming down.

Also why fight for "future workers" I couldn't care less what new employees get at my job, it shouldn't even be public information..

I haven't been receiving mail long before this strike, and honestly couldn't care less if I ever get it again!

rosebud
said
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Now hear this Canada post and Air Canada most Canadians can not afford to pay for your life style and pensions, We are trying to feed our families pay the rent etc. Putting food on the tables. We can't afford 6 weeks holiday a year lucky if we can get one week. Most of us will only have CPP and OAP You get both plus your CP pension or Air Canada pension I call that greed. Get off your butts and go back to work before we lose total respect for you .

RnR - Alberta
said
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Canada Post needs to take the Donald Trump approach: "YOU'RE FIRED". Then hire back everyone who wants their jobs back without a union.

Dean from Calgary
said
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Such silly comments. Service sector people are paid like nothings, like slaves, because they allow themselves to be paid that way. They put up with all the junk, they accept no benefits, they accept stupid hours, and they live with it out of fear. To those who complain that university grads sometimes earn less; well, yet, they do, and that is because so many degrees you can earn are not marketable. And others, like business and commerce degrees, are so common it is as if the entire country has a degree in those fields. Too many people in the same field results in BAD PAY, because there is far too big a supply for the demand. People get bugged over the postal workers, but would they walk out in 40 below weather to deliver mail? I doubt it. But the argument is pensions. Those who never pay into one have no understanding of what the issue is. When a person has paid into a pension for 30 years, it was done in good faith, that the employer would match your contributions. Just because the employer is seeing hard times doesn't give him the right to steal the workers' money. It is their money. Many companies are now doing that, many governments as well. We went through this many years ago with teacher, police, and other public workers. WE paid into our pensions, but the govenment didn't pay their part at all. There was suddenly no pension money. Teacher, police, etc. were required to pay in over twice as much for many years to make up the faults and cheating of the government. For you people who work minumum wage jobs and never set aside your pension, I guess you will face the music when you are old. Not us.

Carl M
said
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Don't like your job? Quit!

Paul
said
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It's so sad to see how fully CP has managed to fool the public.
Canada Post has been very profitable for the past 15 years. They have remained profitable during the recession, even outperforming their own goals.
Now all of a sudden, they want to cut their worker's pay and pensions. Yes, letter volumes have dropped, but packages have risen (largely because of internet shopping).

Why is this assault on the middle class enjoying public support?

patmigs
said
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they have all the benifits in the world and still complain

JT From Calgary
said
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For all of you that are so negative about 'snail mail', think about the elderly and low income citizens in our country, who don't have a computer and get their bills and other info through the postal service. Further, order something online and look at the price difference between regular post and the 'next available option'; The price difference is usually 200 to 300% cost increase over postal. Another poster also pointed out the increase in recent years of the parcel handling. It's not going away, and the people who are doing it at least were rotating their strikes to allow the postal service to continue working at limited levels, instead of cutting it off altogether. Bring in the pension issue and I'm hoping, if the Feds get involved, they give a major spanking to the senior levels of Canada Post, for such poor handling of a Crown Corp, while receiving such high pay, perks and pensions.

trunorth
said
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Tit for tat, Denis; tit for tat............

Cambob in Toronto
said
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"Denis Lemelin, the national CUPW president and chief negotiator, says the Crown corporation should be focused on getting mail out to Canadians and not on forcing postal workers off the job." WHAT??? The absolute hypocrisy of that statement shows how completely out of touch CUPW is. This union obviously care NOTHING about thier workers.

Travis (Barrhaven)
said
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I rarely stand behind corporations, but in this case, I stand behind Canada Post and their decision to lock out workers.Mail volumes have been declining. Instead of receiving mail, we now receive junkmail, but it's still not nearly enough to warrant giving concessions to the Postal Workers.Old systems, such as snail-mail are being replaced with email, instant messaging, and even videoconferencing. Even the short-lived days of renting a DVD through the mail has been replaced with on-demand streaming services like Netflix.The postal workers (union) really need to regroup, and try to figure out their relevance in this new electronic world we all live in. They can't ignore its impact anymore.Our business almost always ships by Canada Post. We're seeing our customers opting for other shippers now, because they still want their goods.We're also seeing more of our suppliers ask for electronic payment (credit card, interac email money transfer, direct deposit/bank transfer).Even at home, our family has virtually put an end to the monthly bill arriving by mail, instead opting for electronic copies.Canada Post offers a great and valuable service, but workers have to face reality, the times are changing, and people's habits with it. If they want to make more money, or better pensions, or whatever is ailing them this time around, they can either go find more suitable work elsewhere, or they can figure out a way to improve Canada Post's relevance.Striking just makes Canada Post more irrelevant. Good going, posties!The lockout is necessary. Hopefully the union will stop being pig-headed, so Canada Post can reclaim what little relevance it had left, and perhaps grow some.

Stephen from Lachine
said
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How irresponsible to be on strike at this time. Canada post is not laying anyone off, they are offering a very fair deal and compared to the private sector these are great conditions. I'd like to see this union and it's leaders punished by us. We should ask our government to make this an election issue to dissolve this union and any other one that an Independent commission could or would find acting in bad faith.

Coincidence???
said
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...so is AC on strike because of the slow down in business? Do you honestly think they make any money moving people?!

bing
said
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Can anyone tell me , what is an average pension and vacation time off after 20 years of service with canada post?

shell64
said
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Unions are destroying companies. They have this attitude that they are entitled to what they want, without any regard to the financial difficulties that their demands are putting on the company. Then, when the company goes bankrupt because of the unions demands, they make demands to the government to bail them out. I have no use for unions!!

Cathy
said
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I was waiting to receive basically every ID document in the mail (photo ID, health card, SIN card, etc.) but I guess I won't be doing anything that requires ID any time soon. Awesome

KO
said
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I just want my freakin driver's lisence!!!!! THAT, the provincial government should have at least deemed important enough to courier! Government and Unions running a business. Yeah there's a good combo! Hopefully we learn in order to get anything done private business is the way to go. The workers REALLY think either the Unions or the Gov't is protecting their precious pensions? When I get sick, I take a vacation day off, I don't get alotted seperate sick days...whose incharge of MY retirement?? ME. I won't get a pension for the rest of my life. To say "the union or government will take care of me forever" is totally irresponsible!

CJ
said
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Somebody please remind CUPW that we just went through a recession and haven't fully recovered yet. They should be thankful they have a job! Our mail is never delivered on time or consistently as it is.

Rebecca
said
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I'm like a lot of others here, fire these people, hire some of the thousands of people who want a job. I think they forget that email has replaced a lot of the business. Parcels can be shipped by UPS, FedEx, and others. They are replaceable.

Lynn
said
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so... it's irresponsible to be locked out, but not irresponsible to go on strike?

LW
said
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If you don't like your job, stop complaining about it and get a different one!

ES
said
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Canada Post is a public company whose sole purpose is to delivery mail, not use tactics to negotiate contracts with the unions at the public's expense. What if Hydro Quebec unions go on strike... does Hydro Quebec cut-off service to the public.

kevin
said
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Delivering Mail to rural canadians is a money losing proposition. Rural Canadians typically cannot afford internet or other alternate means of communications. So really , the only audience that actually needs the post office, thats the one thats being punished. It's all a joke. And rural canadians are picking up the tab.No one else even uses the dang post office.

Mary Jane
said
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Workers must know that they no longer have citizens by the ba**s, in the past they used it against the people. We have other options. Also, do not say you are worried about the services rendered to the people, we know you are not self-sacrificing. To Canada Post head honchos : If you have lost 100 million in two weeks, maybe you should think about giving back to the people; including your employees.

Laura
said
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I heard on the news today that the government is bringing back to work legislation for Air Canada, why not Canada Post?

Prof. Pye Chartt
said
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People. People. People. This isn't about the "right" of union folks to strike. They've successfully exercised this fundamental right. Two weeks of rotating strikes by CUPW have cost Canada Post $100M. (Take note of the amount, left-wing whiners who constantly babble about the "sinful" compensation of the company's CEO.) An employer also has a "right" to lock workers out after a demonstrated refusal on the part of said workers to negotiate/bargain realistically and in good faith. CUPW doesn't give a damn that Canada Post's business is in sharp decline (and this decline is guaranteed to continue). CUPW doesn't give a damn that its pension is suffering from a $3.2B deficit. CUPW doesn't give a damn that it is foolish and unrealistic to assert that said pension shouldn't be subject to normal investment risk. CUPW is GREEDY and ignorant. I keep hearing that CUPW's bosses are keeping the hammer down while a "majority" of the membership actually wants to settle and get back to work. Canada Post is playing its cards just as it should. CUPW wants to gamble like a cocky card shark playing a game of high-stakes poker. Fine. Be prepared. Deal with the fallout.

Roy
said
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They don't have any sympathy from me,hope they are out until winter they will learn how to appreciate a job.

Hard worker
said
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Posties can go on all they like about how hard and poorly treated they are. I challenge every one of you to follow an LPN (licensed practical nurse) for an 8 hour shift and see how you think after that !!!!! Now if you don't think you get paid enough for the "hard" work you do consider this, In NB, the postie gets 2.00 more (approx) per hour than a 30 year LPN. Now also consider the liability factor.Now get back to work you spoiled lazy bu..s

Jojo66
said
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CUPW(canadian union of postal workers) are criticizing Canada Post for not being upfront with there profits. Has anyone of the members ask their union, where all the union dues over the last 14 year, without a strike has gone? The local union president IRWIN NANDA, has used all the union dues for his personal use. The union cannot even afford to pay the benefits temporary for the its members. Might I add, $73.00 every month for union dues. Also, most of the LOCAL UNION REPRESENTATIVES, has resigned ,because their input and causes are not been acknowledged.The union is useless and they are not united. Canada Post should hold out, god forbid I am going to have to reevaluate my finance, but the union will be thought a lesson. I am proud to represent the company that gives me a pay cheque and pays my bills.

ESSENTIAL SERVICE
said
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The postal service like transportation is really an essential service. Time the government disallowed strikes in essential services and stopped being afraid to enact legislation due to union intimidation. These unions have lo9ng since past their prime.

Pierre D, Montreal
said
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This is not a corporate vs union debate. It's a baby-boomer vs next-generation debate. There is nothing left of this great country. The next generation will inherit a situation worst than what their parents inherited. But be reassured what goes around, comes around.

biffidum
said
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Take a look around! Most companies have switched to shared contribution based pensions. The old days of guaranteed income pensions is over. Take a look at the rates of return on most investments and you will see why funds have not kept up pace with the increase in the cost of living. Sharing the risk with employer and employee contributions is the free market approach. Just wait till the CPP blows up in everyone's face.Time to live within our means. If you want to retire rich, SAVE, don't ask someone else to do it for you with money coming from thin air.

Mark from Brampton
said
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Some points: 1) This strike will seriously hurt both sides. Volumes will decline even faster as consumers are forced to use e-mail or competitors, and will find better service. 2) Unions are not a right. They are something our government created to thwart serious worker's rights violations. I haven't seen a serious worker's rights violation in the last 20 years. I say abolish all unions. 3) CUPW shouldn't care about the starting wage of future workers, as it's job is to look after current members. It also should not put forward a left-wing agenda and visit socialist hot-sites like Cuba and Venezuala. Stick up for your members and do what they want.

Joe Nobody
said
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I'll Take their job. they deliver mail and are not brain surgens. they have it too good. fools

James
said
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With housing cost at ridiculous prices everyone needs a raise just to keep above board. Harper & his zero down mortgages made a real mess of our housing market.

Dean in Abby
said
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That's like the pot calling the kettle black. What's irresponsible is the union MANAGEMENT screwing the livelihoods of it's members and the entire postal system. I've never actually heard of any union having any real knowledge of proper fiscal management so I guess he can start pointing fingers around in astonishment. He's just upset because management beat him to the punch. Leave them out for good!

Cleo
said
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Why not fire them all! Let's see the line up for out of work Canadians who will gladly take their jobs! Unions are obsolete anymore! Greed is their motive and many years ago Companies would cave in to their demands. Not any more.

RK
said
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Why not go to binding arbitration? My company has had this for years, and it is great. The company presents their case, and then the union theirs. It has resulted in fair and balanced contracts. The union does not make out like a bandit, but then again the workers interests are still met in the face of Management pressure. Win-win if you ask me. The best part is no fear of interrupted cash flow due to a strike. Binding arbitration should be mandatory in this day and age. My two cents.

M.M.B. Ont
said
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Canada Post does serve a purpose. However the Union and the employees have to realize that they have a job making good wages with benefits and a pension plan! Many Canadans do not even have a job and have difficulty supporting their families and live in poverty. Many Canadians do not have any benefits nor pension plans. And there are some Canadians who can only get part time work and work in a work-share environment. It's time the Union Leaders woke up to the real world and the unionized postal employess got back to work and appreciate that you have a job making a very good wage with benefits and pension. Stop the greed because Canadians are getting fed up! We do not want to be held hostage by any Union members!

matt
said
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Well I'm screwed....I get my paychecks mailed to me from the USA. I'm not one for unions but I am miffed that CP locked out the workers. This is B.S. I will never use CP when I dont need to.I have bills to pay and the banks already keep a 15 business day hold on my cheques.....this strike is putting me in a big financial hole as I keep paying things on credit card. I hope both the union and CP officials realize that you really are hurting regular Canadians. Stop your selfishness -both of you- and negotiate a settlement. If not, the government should introduce back-to-work legislation and make mail delivery an "essential service".

JPM-Montreal
said
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They deliver mail and they get paid already too much for what they do. University graduates make less money and receive less benefits than some of these people. Why? Because it's a government job and government workers ask ask ask. These unions make me sick. We should just privatize all this services and get rid of these problems. Why be held hostage by people totally disconnected from reality. They deliver mail, they aren't that special that they deserve more than other Canadians that have the misfortune of working in the private secter. They just deliver mail. It's a mindless job. Wake up already and stop wasting my money.

Matthew
said
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I would bet my ridiculous salary, ALOT of the haters here towards working Canadians are low income individuals. Its shows in the wording. Well I don't get this, well I don't have that, well they don't pay me that. If at the end of the day YOUR arguments based on these types of comparison, you gave up most of your rights long ago, or merely do not fight for them out of fear of loosing your job. Tell me, if your employer is so great, why would they have to use fear to control you? Never has the distance between the wealth and poor been so great. And spineless folks here are the reason they get away with it. You are scared of the big bad wolf, sorry, corporation. Who are the pathetic ones again?

Craig from NS
said
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I was listening to the Atlantic Union Rep on the radio yesterday and he said one of the unions demands is equal pay for equal work. In principal this sounds good, but geography has to come in to consideration. The cost of living for someone working/living in downtown Toronto is a hell of a lot higher than someone working/living in rural Nova Scotia. Yet, the union wants them to make the same pay. That's great for the rural workers as there are many times more of them than there are those living in rural centers, but that is a huge increase in overall wages across the country. Canada Post might as well close for business.

Abiding Citizen
said
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With very few exceptions it is abundantly clear what the public (customers) want and expect from postal workers. Get back to work - and nobody is saying please. It would be a welcome change to see the employees rally round, establish an employee alliance and throw out CUPW - on their asses. Then, and only then will you be able to bargain in good faith.

oddmelee
said
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Fire the whole lot there are a lot of people out there looking for a job the last time they striked they got 30% way to much ---when was the last time the seniors got a raise and if they did it was maybe 2 bucks --not all people work for the government and get a big pension --like the ministers--come on maybe hire some seniors who could use a bigger pension--these cry babies working for the post office don't do anything anyways perfect job for a senior

Melanie
said
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Let's see, the union employees decided they would strike and not go to work. Now Canada Post has locked them out so they can't go to work. Looks like the employees got what they wanted. Unions always find something to gripe about. And, by the way CUPW, the time is coming when the rest of us will not want to fund your pensions anymore.

David
said
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I'll be surprised if "Canada Post" opens its doors for buisness within the next 6 months to a year. What may happen is what has happened to many of respectable businesses, with good workers, when the union got in the way; shut down operations, open under the name of "National Post" and hire workers without the union office expense.

truedi
said
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There was a gentleman on Canada AM this morning who made a lot of sense. It seems one of the big sticking points these days are pensions. People are living longer and retiring earlier; therefor a lot more money is being paid out towards pensions. He sited the Teachers pensions. They are run by an outside source. They have the largest pension fund ever. Both sides to change their way of thinking. Employees be thankful that you even have a pension. Employers, get someone who knows what they are doing run those pensions.

B,J.
said
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Re those who are concerned re getting their pension cheques, have them sent direct deposit . I do and I dont have to worry about this nonsense.

Tim
said
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Pursuant to the criminal code of Canada, I hope Canada Post is held criminally responsible for not delivering my property.Public servant refusing to deliver property337. Every one who, being or having been employed in the service of Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province, or in the service of a municipality, and entrusted by virtue of that employment with the receipt, custody, management or control of anything, refuses or fails to deliver it to a person who is authorized to demand it and does demand it is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

Jon in London ON
said
0 0

I personally love reading the posts on the CTV site. This postal strike is the perfect lighting rod. To understand if a person or group is on the left or the right, look no further than what outrages them. If you’re offended by how much tax revenue is squandered year after year, you’re probably on the right; if you are ticked off at the “rich” for not paying their “fair share,” you lean left. If you have a strong urge to kill or capture evildoers around the world, you’re likely conservative; but if you’re irate that detainees might be water-boarded, safe money is you’re liberal. If you drive home in your Toyota Prius to pop a Big Pharma-produced Lexapro that gives you just enough vitality to take your ungrateful kids to the Starbucks for a Java Chip Frappuccino®… only to lecture them on the evils of the corporations once you get there, there’s a good chance you’re left-wing. But if you love capitalism… you get my point. Keep posting everyone!

Lia
said
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Get these guys back to work already, I want my mail! Froget Air Canada, special law the postal workers

zachfx
said
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I feel bad for the postal workers and their families, it sucks when your not getting paid. Hopefully this will be resolved soon.

Rob Calgary
said
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Look who is irresponsible Mr. Union Man

Adam
said
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No sympathy here. You should have taken the offer. So stay out all you want, you deserve to be out there spouting off how you are all done by. You the Unions have created this mess, so deal with it. For the sake of those who depend on the mail, I hope the Government legislates you back to work.

raj
said
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Ah, so when they unions want to stop working its fine, but when the company says no more! its not How funny.I am with the company! **

MarkinTO
said
0 0

I tried dropping off my OSAP form to be processed yesterday......."CLOSED DUE TO STRIKE"....Thanks a lot, when mad at your bosses, you punish regular people who depend on your services.

RR 99
said
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As a rural mail carrier....and having a different collective agreement....I have to fight my way through picket lines to get to work. I still have to deliver my mail to my rural customers...until...Canada Post lays us all off...if lock out continures...should happen by the end of the week. This is why all postal workers need ONE collective agreement. OH by the way...did I memtion that OUR collective agreement ends December 31, 2011. So expect all rural carriers to go on strike. Time for Canada Post to bargin fairly. Rural carriers have been in a reopener in our collective agreement since 2009 with no conclusion because Canada Post does want to bargin.

KAS
said
0 0

Let's take a vote: How many people posting here are being nasty because they are conservative supporters? How many because they are liberal? NDP? Green?Another vote: How many people think that going back before unions is a good idea? How many people want to proceed with equality and fairness to all (not just the rich)?I used to work for Canada Post, and I know how employees, even when supposedly protected by the union, can get royally screwed. This is a government corporation, so you have to know they are only out to protect the interests of government, and NOT the interests of Canadians. (whether employees are union, or not)I think the hateful, angry people posting in many forums like this are really people who would jump at a chance to work at a "cushy union job" if given the chance.

Matthew
said
0 0

Lady across the street works of Canada Post. She drive's around loading up drop boxes for the walkers to pick up and deliver to houses. In 4 years, they, Canada Post have not increased the pay out for gas. Yet, gasoline has inflated how much? Tell me did you get a raise last year? or the year before? These friends and family of ours have every right to fight for improvements. Most of you here are very very ignorant to others, and how life works. But go ahead, keep siding with big corporations. One day it will be your head on the chopping block. YOU, not them, sound like envious spoiled little brats. Its not fair, why do they get blah, when I don't get blah. One day in your lives you might actually have fight for something you believe in. Do not forget whats been said here today. You do not have the right, your fired! And you wonder why we have only minimum wage jobs with no pensions or benefits, look at how easy it is for big business to manipulate us, and turn us against one another. For shame on all of you!

David
said
0 0

How can you be locked out when you refused to work to begin with? How can a raise and better benefits be considered a cut? Just because it isn't as much as you, or the union "chief", wanted doesn't mean you are getting a cut. If you are getting a cut that means gasoline prices haven't gone up, at least not until it reaches $2.11 just to keep pace with inflation. WAKE UP and tell the union to get lost, the UNION is GREEDY and wants to make more money from their "CUT" off the backs of the worker.

send it
said
0 0

Sure, let the big corporation save money, we all know they need more. While we're at it, let's outsource mail service. Canadians have developed this mental condition where they think they don't deserve to be paid well or treated with respect, with the common excuse of "at least you have a job". That's exactly what the CEO's & VP's want you to think... equals more cash for them. Everyone is going to label the unions as greedy whiners, but who else is putting up a fight? The cost of living goes up, yet the working class doesn't get wage increases and corporations are making record profits.To all the people who are claiming "i'll take your job..." ,maybe you wouldn't feel the same if you had stuck up for your own employment rights along the way.

Lucy
said
0 0

...and a tiny voice from the midst of thisMy Mother will be 95 on June 23rd... her birthday cards are sitting here. No, she doesnt have a computer to get e-cards. Please, think of the average person too, not just big business.I am 68 and worked in and out of unions all my working days - public services should have mandatory arbritration in these cases.I have a love/hate feeling about Unions - this isn't making me love them......

D. Vancouver
said
0 0

I've got mixed feelings. On one hand , the union can't hold the country ranson with it's rotating strikes. Either strike, or get off the pot. Now Canada Post has decided for you. AS with Air Canada, Canada Post will probably be legislated back to work.I'm just a little concerned about the Harper Goverment being a union breaker. Remember, unions are a right in most countries. Nurses, teachers, firemen, police, and the many others who are a part of unions - think about Harper's tactics.

haters
said
0 0

i can't believe all the jealous haters here putting fellow canadians who just want to do their jobs.the employees are not asking for more they just want to keep what they have. they do a very tough job dealing with weather conditions,stressed pets trying to bite them and customers just looking for checks in the mail.the corp. makes tons of profits(16 years in a row) and not one penny comes out of tax payers pockets. so all you haters out there ,stop the jealous whining and support your fellow canadians.

bill
said
0 0

so canada post stops all the mail cause the union won't accept their offer?even when the union offers to go by the old contract until a deal is reached. i'm certainly not with the union on this( they make more than enough for the job they do) but this is getting to be like watching a couple 2 year olds trying to settle a squabble. goes to show that neither side in this dispute is mature enough to be looking after anyones best interest

Tea
said
0 0

Strike or lockout, either way we don't get mail service.

Will
said
0 0

The only irresponsible ones are the union leaders. Message to the membership: your union leaders are NOT doing this for you, it's all about them and their power. Exercise your rights to fire them and go back to the table.

patsy ingoldsby
said
0 0

They are decent jobs with decent pay and we need more jobs like this. Why can''t people see that!Average joe jobs 15-20 years ago paid a decent wage....now they don't but every price has doubled and tripled...People won't protest till we are looking like a third world country....very rich and lots of poor and nothing inbetween

Mavis
said
0 0

Funny how everything gets blamed on the Union and not the shareholder, incompitant managers and CEOs. That's where all the big money is going. Ever wondered why a pension fund is loosing money? Just look at who is handling it. As for Unions being out of date, if you don't have benifits or pension maybe you need a bargining agent to get them for you. Ever thought of that!

Gary
said
0 0

It was all right to disrupt and deny postal services by rotating strikes but now that Canada Post has forced the unions hand by denying them that tactic the Canadian Union of Postal Worker scream self-righteous indignation and stress the rights and needs of businesses to send and receive mail...What transparent hypocrisy.

Chris (In Kitchener)
said
0 0

I am shocked by the lack of education, and how down right mean and rude posters are. Should a person not have a right to fight for their jobs ? For their lively hood, or should we all be relegated to a minimum wage job with no benefits just because you are ? I've never worked been a part of a union, but employers get the union they deserve. The reason I've never been a part of a union is because my employers don't abuse me, they don't mistreat me, they don't intimidate or threaten me. They don't make me work in unsafe conditions. People say unions are obsolete because we have such great labour laws. NEWS flash people the government is the biggest offender of these labour laws. So yes government employees need a union. Please tell me you're not naive enough to expect the arm of the government for enforcing labour laws to stand up to another department breaking them and put the best interests of the worker first ? Get some education before you bash a union. You might be surprised.

Dave
said
0 0

Wow how fair is that..We will lock you out and then run crying to the Conservative Monster to have you Legislated back to work !! .. I believe this boarders uon unfair Labour practices..Losing Millions when the mail was being delivered daily,only started losing millions when the Fat Cats at the top started there own rotating strike by only delivering mail 3 days a week which of course would make customers hold off on mailings and look for a different way...Come on Canada Post have you EVER bargained in good faith???

me
said
0 0

The only reason I am concerned is that my mother will not get her pension cheques now. A lot of seniors are going to be in trouble.

Jim
said
0 0

I agree. These workers are being unreasonable. Yes it sucks to have benefits cut or frozen but it's better than being out of a job. As a public service worker I may have to take a wage freeze or a reduced increase in the next few years. Of course I I don't like the idea but I'd rather that then being unemployed. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Joe
said
0 0

Manon D.C.
said
0 0

Time to fire all those overpaid whiners ... Hey! ... why not replace them with all of those ABLE bodies ... you know ... the ones who are capable to work ... but are so lazy ... they're sitting at home ... awaiting their welfare checks!

joseph Greenfield on/
said
0 0

government works should not be allowed to strike I believe in the U.S A. they are not allowed to strike it should be the same here. they all should be fired and get people who will work

b budning
said
0 0

enough is enough here we have a union living in the last century an employer living in the 18th century and a service that is dying anyway. lets put them in a room with a timeline to settle or simply terminate the entire canada post corp and set up a new post corp hiring new workiers ready to work in a 21st century work place embracing technology abd ready to move forward

Joe Spumolio
said
0 0

I'll say it one more time for the CUPW crowd who just are not getting it. For every single one of the 42,000 CPC employee's on strike there are 20 Canadians ready, willing and able to do your job. So go ahead and throw it away, I'll gladly take a piece of that, thank you very much. In fact I have a better idea. Since so many Canadians are unemployed/underemployed, why not legislate that ALL public sector jobs are subject to job sharing? So CPC employees would go from 40 hours per week down to 20 hours, the other 20 going to their job buddy, with zero overtime? I like the sound of that. Might just email my MP. He'll get the message about 20 microseconds after I hit send. You folks need to get the message too.

Zee
said
0 0

So be it. Anything is better than being held hostage and unsure what you'd wake up to. Now is the time to move on positively for the benefit of all Canadians in their personal lives and in the business lives. MOVE ON. Hitting Mtl twice and Toronto were what broke the camel's back. It's all been planned all along and expected by both sides. ENOUGH, you've had your play time. Now everyone do your jobs or lose them!

spaz
said
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Where can I get a job that has EVERY HOLIDAY known to man, as a day off. A union to protect me if I should get caught NOT DOING my job. The worst type of injury I might have to deal with at work......a PAPER CUT.This even tops the second place group of continual complainers.... TEACHERS

CrackerJackLee
said
0 0

what the common folk don't understand is that the power and money elite in society are reaping the rewards of the high life while the vast majority of the tax paying citizens (yes, you... who are taxed on your paycheck and then again on your purchases... double-taxed...) are being left out... and the elite do not want you and i in their midst or to become wealthy like them... if it were not for unions, you and i would be living in tents - set up behind the plants and offices working 16 hours a week - including Saturdays - they always give us Sunday off - even horses and cattle need to rest... Canadians don't even know what the word "Facist" means... Canadians are only taught silly things in school between recessess... the cow is happy because the cow doesn't know any better... as for small business owners - thank God if you don't have to work for one... no pension there... and if you're sick - tough, no pay... and you're never secure in your employment... why would rational people deny these normal expectations to the citizenry of this country...? because they are greedy and would enslave you if it were legal... the media has done a good job of brainwashing us all into believing that the sky is falling... when actually the elite are syphoning off the money... get it...?

Mike - Winnipeg
said
0 0

Perhaps this will be the straw that finally breaks the camel's back. Postal workers are not unlike buggy whip manufacturers at the turn of last century: antiquated and useless. Doing a job that takes a grade 6 education, yet receiving 40 or 50 K a year? Bye bye, Postal workers, your services are no longer required.

Mick Shrimpton
said
0 0

Someone check my math......48,000 postal workers earning let say on average $50,000 a year equals?My calculator screen can't display the number. 2.4e 9 That seems pretty big. I think though, it's a lot more than $100 million.

Annoyed
said
0 0

As a person who works in I.T. I can say if you want to keep your jpobs at Canada Post delivering snail mail, stop whining & get back to work, otherwise some IT person with lots of money will figure out a way to do everything digitally over the internet, we don`t need Canada Post anymore, time to shut it down & put the money into healthcare. I am very frustrated. Stop complaining, & get back to work, or someone will invent something & shut you down permanently.

Max
said
0 0

Pretty sad bunch of posters. Don't think anyone should make any more money than they do. The corporate world has used the recession as an excuse to bully employees, cut wages and benefits in order to pad their bonus and profits.So many comments about lazy workers. I do not work for Canada Post but I do know that while they are at work they are not playing on their computers on company time - like many of you posters are doing right now. Letter mail volumes are down approx. 17%, however Canada Post has neglected to tell us that the volumes of parcels is way up. Don't blame the employees for the $3 billion shortfall in the pension - that is the fault of incompetent upper management.

David H. in Ottawa
said
0 0

Finally, Canada post did the Ronald Regan. Fire and re hire people that appreciate the job they have, without being too greedy. The Union, is no longer working for the people here, but merely themselves.

dont care about the posties!
said
0 0

Good on you Canada Post! Dont let the dirty greedy union think they control things. Theyre in for a hard wake up call, when they find out they arent valued by the public or needed - I cant wait to see the smug looks wiped off their faces. Ooh "poor us, poor us" they whine, as if they are some how put upon by the nasty CPC. No one cares about your "plight" posties, no one but you.

It's what it is
said
0 0

What? Canada Post is on strike? Who would have thought? Who would ever notice anyway? Should have shut the corporation down eons ago... bunch of overpaid & underworked whiners if you ask me.

Scott H in Cambridge
said
0 0

Is it not a criminal offence to withhold mail? How can they do this and somehow get away with it withholding mail to the public?

Dave
said
0 0

Times are changing

Get back to work or get out! There is lots out there who will be glad to work in your place. Things will get done. Believe me.

Jody
said
0 0

Canada Post affects many businesses who need to ship products nationally and internationally. It is a more cost effective method than private carriers. This is a huge impact on small to medium size businesses. Montreal

Sandi Matian
said
0 0

Canada Post is obsolete and so are unions. Unions served their purpose years ago but now they are little more than blackmailers. Air Canada employees could find itself in the same position as passengers flock to competitors like West Jet and decide not to put up with the high prices and low service level of Air Canada anymore.We live in a very different world than the dinosaur union reps are used to. The rules have changed and those who don't realize that could find themselves going the way of the dinosaurs.

I want my Nanny State
said
0 0

" we've seen customers walking away from Canada Post " - oh come on, that's just silly, why I am even now stockpiling MORE letters to mail because the strike. I am so happy with First Class Mail......I even cancelled my online billing options....can't wait to dive back in!

Corey
said
0 0

It's funny all the hidden profits Canada Post doesn't report which they move into other "areas". They have the money to pay these people, it just doesn't show on the public numbers.....

Who's laughing now, huh!
said
0 0

Mo money, mo money, better sick benefits, well, shut 'em out and snuff 'em out. Anyone else feel the bulk of these peeps, most with a borderline education, make a decent buck for doing a job? That's right average $24 bucks an hour to do a job, you can't call it a career. Get rid of the lot because snail mail has fast become a thing of the past. It's too bad the feds will soon intervene to save their ungrateful asses!

Christine
said
0 0

I think the workers should realize that a lot of people in this country have it alot harder than they do. Alot of us don't have pensions or benefits. Half the workers are on a mon-fri 9-5 schedule with vacations and every single holiday off. In my eyes they have it made.

River
said
0 0

This should have been done within the first 24hrs. Maybe then we wouldn't have to have the smiles of striking postal wokers shoved in our faces.

Paul ~ Kitchener
said
0 0

Now we are getting down to the nitty gritty in this dispute. With Canada Post shut down, the union now has "Solidarity" in ~ "NO WORK". We the people will get by just fine and we have alternate choices for urgent needs. You can bet that the government now will get into the fray, and order the workers back to work - (this will really add to a happy bunch of employees). I would hope the Government would stay out of any force to return the union to the work place. The union should sit out, until they are willing to be honest , and fair in their demands . I wonder, if left on the pavement with their placards, and no paycheque, how long this situation will last. ? The only way to bring the "UNION", to a place of reason, is to let them stand until they need their paycheque ~ Not Long !

Ian Ottawa
said
0 0

Right on. Fire/re-hire. Let them re-evaluate the pay they had for the rest of their lives. The Union is big business and the more crap they stir up the more they make. See ya on the streets. Most of you could benefit from losing a few pounds from what I've seen on the picket lines.

Sober
said
0 0

Well, this is what you get when you stop working. If workers don't produce, the money dries up. Simple. I hope they all quit their union and them them a lesson for a change.

scott nova scotia
said
0 0

finally, NO MORE JUNK MAIL!!! I'm all for the strike, never use canada post anyway. These people do not realise they are pretty much obsolete.

Dave
said
0 0

GOOD

GB
said
0 0

Good on Canada Post. Now the next step is to fire the ungrateful SOB's. Then go on a hiring spree and hire people who really want a job.

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