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momcqueen · ‎07-07-2016

Good news overnight on the looming postal lockout/strike front. To paraphrase The Godfather, the federal government has made an offer they can't refuse.

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/blogs/announcements/details.page?article=2016/07/06/canada_post_pre...

Canada Post Prepared to Submit to Binding Arbitration

Federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, MaryAnn Mihychuk, has asked both Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW-Urban and CUPW-RSMC) to submit to binding arbitration to resolve the current impasse at negotiations.

The Canada Post Corporation has already agreed. "It is our hope that CUPW will consider submitting to binding arbitration to end the uncertainty. Canada Post is extending the current 72-hour notice period to Monday at 12:01 am to provide time for the union to consider this option."

It would be suicide for the unions to refuse, although I do expect they will make a show of doing so and wait until the final moments to concede. Binding arbitration is the best we can hope for at this point.

reallynicestamps · ‎07-07-2016

It is apparent, even from the relatively sophisticated discussions here, that most people cannot tell the difference between a strike (by workers) and a lockout (by management).

Frankly, with few exceptions (the CBC and Toronto Star perhaps) the media are not trying to explain the difference.

Which means with any disruption the union gets blamed.

Personally, I'm hoping that as part of the arbitration/back to work legislation, that some members of the upper management of CPO are requested to resign. I'm not hopeful though since Chopra in particular was given a new contract soon after the Trudeau government took office. That would be expensive to end.

I also agree that the urban/rural carrier question is a bit of a smokescreen. Of more importance to the union is the pension question, especially since there continue to be demands that the postal service be privatized (cui bono?). Which makes anyone with a company pension remember what happened to the pensioners at Eatons and at Nortel.

cumos55 · ‎07-07-2016

Both Canada Post and CUPW recognize that they are due for a major change in how Canada Post Corporation is managed.

The Government has made its first move ... binding arbitration.

and it is possible that binding arbitration could become the basis for all future relationships between Canada Post and the "unions"

Canada Post is Canada Post Corporation (CPC), a Crown Corporation

Its mandate is to provide postal service to all Canadian destinations.

The next step could be providing that service 365 days each year.... without interruption

If I read it correctly... The only year CPC had a deficit was 2011 the year of the last strike... CPC was unable to meet its mandate.

Things are changing... and changing quickly

The biggest change is as CPC states... delivering the on-line world....... and that will continue to escalate....

and less lettermail... letterpost

The Government has initiated a review of Postal service......

Could there be a new reality coming????

---------------------------------------------------------------------

By definition --- A Crown Corporation is a corporation owned by the federal or provincial government.

and then who is the government of Canada ....... Government is for and by the people of Canada.

reallynicestamps · ‎07-07-2016

If I read it correctly... The only year CPC had a deficit was 2011 the year of the last strike... CPC was unable to meet its mandate.

And much of that was due to the management lockout. The mail was moving (slowly and erratically) during the 12 days of rotating strikes.

dutchman48 · ‎07-07-2016

Rotating strikes are done to annoy the company to the point that the company will lock them out. It makes the company look bad and the union look good.

If the union is so adamant about their positions, why did they not go on full strike in 2011 and why even though they voted for a strike months ago have they not done so?

silverpinups · ‎07-07-2016

"Yes, we're all hostages, we might as well make the best of the excess time on our hands. What I do plan to do is work on my listings, add new ones, do some R&D and R&R. Who knows, a lockout could go on for weeks (or more). There's no point in spending it in a state of extended anger and frustration.

On the other hand though, things could change dramatically between now and Monday a.m. if the Union alters its stance. Just saying..."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I feel everyone's frustration, but these numerous posts start to become diluted, repetitious and counter-productive!

Yes, things could change dramatically by Monday, so let's all hope and pray for a positive response from the Union so Canadians can get back to business.

kh-andrew · ‎07-07-2016

Hi all,

This thread is getting a little off topic and heated. Please feel free to share your own opinions, but avoid hostile comments.

Thank you

ypdc_dennis · ‎07-07-2016

@reallynicestamps wrote:

... since Chopra in particular was given a new contract soon after the Trudeau government took office. That would be expensive to end.

Chopra was given his current contract extension (6 months ahead of schedule) by the Harper government in August 2015 (during the election campaign).

Chopra declined (no surprise, with that salary) the newly-elected Liberal government request to step down.

-..-

Anonymous · ‎07-08-2016

It seems that CUPW president is off the wall and don't know what he is doing, despite he is earning $700,000!! Fire him!!

pierrelebel · ‎07-08-2016

"...he is earning $700,000!!"

Where does that information come from?

fashionoutletdeal · ‎07-08-2016

We are just hostage....All the small business its in big danger...We cant take the same deals like the big company,which make us out of the market.I personally think that the union became greedy .Most of the tax payers dont have even half of this benefits.Dont like it find another job.Just my opinion.I end up with 1-2 sales per day online and bunch of questions from customers.Canada Post situation its making me to get my business out of Canada which means less work for them .Who will be the looser? Im for full suport for all canadian company and so far i do .But now my family is in danger with this situation.The guy that used to pick up my stuff from Post Canada its saying that this is crazy and he do not agree with whats happened .Wishing this nightmare is over

fort2b · ‎07-08-2016

I've talked to some of the drivers at my local PO and none of them have any interest in striking, being locked out or anything else. They just want to work and put this garbage behind them. They are all very stressed about the situation.

As usual, it's probably a few radical voices within the Union that are being heard and speaking for everyone.

dutchman48 · ‎07-08-2016

Now, on another post the union wants a 30 day cool off period. What an absolute joke.

I certainly hope CP says flat out NO. the public wants this resolved, not more stalls, and then what after 30 days?

momcqueen · ‎07-08-2016

Personally, I suspect the 30-day cool-off period is an empty gesture, made only so that the Union can say they also presented an alternative to the lockout. The Union needed to say something after rejecting the offer of binding arbitration.

Obviously, another 30-days of uncertainly will not make things any better. Only worse. More uncertainly, more lost sales for small online sellers who are hard-pressed to find alternatives to Canada Post, more parcels diverted from Canada Post's mainstream into the hands of couriers, greater losses on all sides: corporate, employees, and customers.

And what could another 30-days accomplish that hasn't already been tried? They are at an impasse. Nothing tried to now has worked. That much is obvious to everyone which is the reason the federal government stepped in and suggested binding arbitration.

It's an empty gesture, nothing more. And worse, it would add an extra month of uncertainly driving the postal disruption ever closer to the make-or-break holiday sales season.

indiansummernights · ‎07-08-2016

CP will definitely say no because if they are already being financially affected by the dispute. Not to mention it would no doubt be a waste of time unless they give the Union President what he wants (and I now believe that his demands are as unreasonable and expensive as CP portrayed when talking to the media).

If the CPUW's games results in jobs having to be cut, I hope the Union's President is the first to get laid off.

ypdc_dennis · ‎07-08-2016

@indiansummernights wrote:
CP will definitely say no because if they are already being financially affected by the dispute. Not to mention it would no doubt be a waste of time unless they give the Union President what he wants (and I now believe that his demands are as unreasonable and expensive as CP portrayed when talking to the media).

Canada Post has said said it would be fine with the 30-day proposal, but only if "both parties must agree to binding arbitration" if no deal is reached during that time.

-..-

marnotom! · ‎07-08-2016

@ypdc_dennis wrote:

Canada Post has said said it would be fine with the 30-day proposal, but only if "both parties must agree to binding arbitration" if no deal is reached during that time.

-..-

With terms like that, it sounds as though Canada Post would continue to spin its wheels during that 30 day period.

" [Palecek] told CBC News the union doesn't favour going to binding arbitration because a ruling could wind up going for judicial review and then be appealed."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canada-post-lockout-deadline-extended-1.3668182

fort2b · ‎07-08-2016

I see.......so Palecek's reason yesterday was principles and today it's because of judicial review. Seems like he's winging this, trying to come up with reasons to not cooperate.

All he could think of yesterday on the spur of the moment was the 'principles' thing. After 24 hours somebody came up with the judicial review excuse that he's now using.

Judicial review is part of the arbitration process. Many unions go through binding arb. and all come out very favourably, even when there is judicial review. Police, fire, nurses, even the TTC use binding arbitration all the time.

He's just stalling.

momcqueen · ‎07-08-2016

Like I said earlier, by Sunday night, I really do think the Union will be whistling along to the binding arbitration tune. It was an offer they couldn't refuse. In the meantime, this is all just a big show of opposition to demonstrate the Union doesn't have to do anything they don't want to do. It looks like desperate flailing to me but to them, I guess, it feels like bravery in the face of battle.

fort2b · ‎07-08-2016

I hope you're right. I felt that way yesterday but not today.

marnotom! · ‎07-08-2016

@fort2b wrote:

I see.......so Palecek's reason yesterday was principles and today it's because of judicial review. Seems like he's winging this, trying to come up with reasons to not cooperate.

All he could think of yesterday on the spur of the moment was the 'principles' thing. After 24 hours somebody came up with the judicial review excuse that he's now using.

Actually, that news piece is dated yesterday.

Agree that the rationale being presented to the public seems to change at the drop of a hat, but at the core of the union's difficulties is that they feel that the Corporation isn't negotiating in good faith and CUPW's filed a complaint to that effect with the Canada Industrial Relations Board.