CP Strike

[axe_n_gear_music]

My Canada Post guy today says that his contacts in Toronto are confirming a 99% chance of a strike on this Thursday. So many parcels shipped by CP over the last few days may be held in limbo for however long the strike lasts.

How many of you are putting your stores on vacation mode until we find out on Thursday?

AXE

[pjcdn2005]

Strike date delayed according to CUPW.

As noted on another discussion

The other discussion is HERE

[momoftwingles2]

Hi all,

If Canada Post does go on strike, I have to wonder who in Saskatchewan will be working. 

The teachers took job action the first week of May as they want a 12% raise for this year.  So all kids missed one day of school.  Finally the teachers and the gov't went back to the bargaining table.  The gov't offered slightly higher than their original 5.25% over the next 3 years, but the teachers upped their wants to 16%+ for this year.  They are away from the table now and threatening to strike on Wednesday & Thursday of this week.

Cancer medical personnel are taking a strike vote within the next week or so.   They want more money.

The medical profession in general (not doctors or nurses) are on a rotating strike from city to city. 

(Mind you...nurses were given a 35% increase in 2009 and it's set the bar high in this province for everyone else.) 

Now, if Canada Post goes on strike....well......

I wonder how any of them would like my husband's raise from January of 2010.  He received a .001% raise and nothing since other than being told on Friday to not come in until Tuesday night of this coming week and not for his normal 12 hour shifts...but for 8 hour shifts.  He's a plant operator at Walker Seeds and they are hurting from the past few years of not having great seeding/harvesting conditions.  But, this company and its employees are doing what they can to get through the rough times.  Mind you...we would love a 35% raise!  Heck we would love a 12% raise!  We'd even love 1% raise! 

Greed gets you no where.  Here in Saskatchewan...cancer patients may not be able to get their medical radiation if a strike happens.  Women may not be able to get a lifesaving mammogram if a strike happens.

Anywhere...if CP goes on strike....everyone is hurt from the mom and pop shops to the biggie businesses.  True some may be able to endure more than others but nonetheless....it will hurt individual businesses.

You guys work hard on eBay!  And by you guys....I mean you....not those sitting in an office in California!  While I'm no longer selling anywhere.....my thoughts and my prayers are that you are all able to endure!  Keep your spirits up!  You have each other to depend on!

Thinking of all of you!

Susan

[pierrelebel]

My eBay store is back in business this morning (Sunday May 22nd). 

I will watch carefully, daily, for the issuance of the 72 hour strike notice by CUPW before putting the store on vacation again.

[ricarmic]

I've done the same thing as Pierre, stores across all sites including eBay are back open. I should have stuck with my oftentimes too optimistic view of the world. It will be interesting to see if this will be an on-again off again thing over the next days/weeks. If the 3 day warning does happen I think I'll reawaken the 3 options I provided to the in process people. I would have laughed at you if you'd told me a month ago that one of the most common sites I would visit would be the CUPW site!!!! Let's keep our fingers crossed that this works out and things can get back to normal ASAP!!!

[axe_n_gear_music]

Our eBay.ca store is open again too- please let us know if you hear any more news come down the pike, Yoda!

Cheers,

AXE

[jt-libra]

Anything you normally ship lettermail or small packet that fits into their standard oversized envelope is anywhere between 20 bucks local to 50 bucks to other provinces.

I used the UPS calculator to get an estimate for a small parcel that I wanted to ship from Winnipeg to Saskatchewan.  The rate came up as $55.00.  I was sure I had not used the calculator correctly, but I guess  that was the correct rate!!

[pjcdn2005]

I checked UPS, DHL & FedEex earlier today. FedEx was the least expensive so if you do need to use a courier, you might want to get a quote from them. A small package under 1 kg was around $20 from Alberta to Toronto.

[dipmicro]

I signed up with eShipper last week and generated few UPS Standard labels already. Their UPS discount rates are almost close to CP Expedited Parcel.

The eShipper website is little awkward, but usable. They were very prompt to reply on our request for API access so I am working on integrating this shipper into our website.

[ricarmic]

Info shows up faster on Yahoo finance than the CUPW site...will be interesting to see what the CUPW site ends up saying.... By The Canadian Press OTTAWA - Canada Post has rejected its union's latest contract proposal, saying the offer would increase the Crown corporation's labour costs by $1.4 billion. Spokesman Jon Hamilton said Tuesday that the costs would have to be passed on to customers through a 15 per cent hike in high postal rates or to taxpayers through a request for more government support. Hamilton said Canada Post has put forward a counteroffer and hasn't initiated a 72-hour notice for a lockout. He added that Canada Post has experienced a double-digit drop in mail volumes and has $3-billion pension deficit. The union representing urban postal workers was waiting for word from the Crown corporation, and has said its proposal covers all unresolved issues including wages and benefits, staffing levels and working conditions. It had threatened job action if a deal wasn't reached by this week but the lack of a 72-hour notice effectively means there wouldn't be a strike or lockout before Friday. An earlier agreement covering some 50,000 employees expired on Jan. 31, and talks on a new deal began last fall. Last week, Canada Post reached an agreement with the union to bring in volunteer postal workers in some provinces to deliver cheques to pensioners and those on social assistance should a labour disruption occur

[pierrelebel]

from CUPW website:

http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/12992/la_id/1.htm

[jchitchats]

I can offer a solution for US and international mail.

we are still running mail to the US and worldwide 5 days a week.

If the strike takes place we will be adding an additional vehicle to handle any excess.

International is no problem as we ship most items through europe,

only country we cant do anything about is Canada as our Canada service uses canada post for delivery.

chitchatsexpress.com

[ecbluestar]

I can offer a solution for US and international mail.

Any options for outside of GTA, I am located London ON?

[jchitchats]

I have people send me mail from as far away as NS. but we have drop off locations. in oakville. Missisuaga concord. I have one customer comes in once a week from Guelph. but other than that. you would need to canpar or fedex it to me

[jchitchats]

He added that Canada Post has experienced a double-digit drop in mail volumes

You know. They should stop and try and figure out why their volumes are dropping so fast.   Happily I know they won’t do that and as such they are my best source of advertizing

[zarzuella]

ecbluestar,  I'm also in the London area.

I used Derek's (Chitchatexpress) service for several years until   A) eBay capped media shipping at $4, and    B) my volume dropped off to the point where I can no longer justify the expense of the courier to Chitchats;  however, if we could get several local sellers to share the expense I'd love to join in.  Email me at

ann@zarzuellabooks.com

if anyone is interested.

Ann

[jchitchats]

That would be great Anne. as you can see we have lots of new services now as well.

I will send anyone from that area in your direction

Thanks

Derek

[westernstargifts]

The postal strike is on hold for now.

Link

[pierrelebel]

From the CUPW (May 27 evening):  

Over the weekend the National Negotiating Committee and National Executive Board will meet to evaluate the situation and plan our next move. 

In this context, the CUPW National Executive Board has decided not to submit a 72-hour strike notice today. Consequently, there will be no strike activity on May 31st.  However, given the refusal of CPC management to address our demands, all members should be prepared to participate in strike action in the very near future.

[beautiful_times]

Derek can you please send me information on how to use your services? I've tried looking at the website, but it doesn't have a lot of information.

Thanks

Jennifer

[ecbluestar]

"The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has made a final offer to Canada Post inthe hopes of negotiating a settlement. The offer includes several important amendments and clarifications to our positions and we are confident this offer can be accepted by CPC as the basis of a settlement. CUPW has also given the notice, required by the Canada Labour Code, of its intent to strike if there is no settlement flowing from its final offer. The union will be in a legal position to strike on Thursday, June 2, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The union said the notice puts pressure on Canada Post to actually negotiate."