' Senate pushes Canada Post discussion to Monday'

[momcqueen]

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/senate-pushes-canada-post-discussion-to-monday-1.4191078

Had the Senate passed the bill today, postal workers would have returned on Monday

And https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/senate-canada-post-legislation-strike-1.4919485

[momcqueen]

Because this seems to be a source of confusion to some people, I would like to highlight the following detail while noting that if the upper chamber approves the bill, it goes into effect at Noon ET on the day that follows it receiving royal assent. Meaning...? Tuesday afternoon perhaps. So, the postal workers return to work to fix the problem created by rotating strikes WHILE negations continue. Not instead. 

The bill would appoint a mediator-arbitrator to help Canada Post and the union representing its workers come to an agreement. If mediation fails, the two sides would enter binding arbitration.

[momcqueen]

In case you forgot what you learned in Grade 8, here is a Canadian political history lesson: 

https://www.ourcommons.ca/About/Compendium/ParliamentaryFramework/c_d_senatecanada-e.htm

https://globalnews.ca/news/2130144/four-times-the-senate-provided-sober-or-not-so-sober-second-thoug...

[kawartha-ephemera]

Should the Senate block this back to work legislation or even just drag their feet for a time I believe the majority of the public would be very unhappy with this group of unelected patronage appointees. Personally, I believe the Senate should be abolished.

[cumos55]

The Senate acts like a buffer.....  It is there to protect Canada from legislation that is not appropriate.

The Senate is  that one extra step to confirm everything about legislation from the House of Commons is correct to the "rules" of Canada.

[momcqueen]

We’d have to direct our lobby efforts their way if that were to occur.

Storming MP offices seems to be an acceptable tactic for gaining an audience. Surely senators also have offices to which they return. Media loves a good protest. It’s very lively and there’s always the exciting possibility things will turn south.

[momcqueen]

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.theglobeandmail.com/amp/opinion/article-even-if-back-to-work-canada-...

[momcqueen]

https://globalnews.ca/news/4697144/canada-post-union-rotating-strikes/

Canada Post union threatening members if they accept overtime during strikes

Media only now noticed the bulletin.

[momcqueen]

“(Canada Post spokesperson Jon) Hamilton notes that Canada Post had planned to deliver 500,000 parcels across the country this weekend to keep pace. With the labour disruption, however, their projections have them delivering around 30,000 parcels this weekend.....

“Saturday, in a rare weekend sitting, the Senate was told there are are 1,000,000 pieces of mail waiting to be delivered.

“Canada Post’s interim president and CEO Jessica McDonald told senators that the backlog could take weeks to clear, pushing them well past January. However, CUPW National President Mike Palecek told the upper chamber it would only take his members one day to get back on track.”

We’ll soon see who’s being truthful.

[marnotom!]

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@momcqueen wrote:

“(Canada Post spokesperson Jon) Hamilton notes that Canada Post had planned to deliver 500,000 parcels across the country this weekend to keep pace. With the labour disruption, however, their projections have them delivering around 30,000 parcels this weekend.....

“Saturday, in a rare weekend sitting, the Senate was told there are are 1,000,000 pieces of mail waiting to be delivered.

“Canada Post’s interim president and CEO Jessica McDonald told senators that the backlog could take weeks to clear, pushing them well past January. However, CUPW National President Mike Palecek told the upper chamber it would only take his members one day to get back on track.”

We’ll soon see who’s being truthful.

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The two statements are actually quite different.  "Back on track" doesn't mean "clear the backlog".

[momcqueen]

Maybe to your expectations it doesn’t but you’re only only one of millions of Canadians. Let us know when you’ve polled them all on how they have interpreted it and get back to us.

[femmefan1946]

FWIW  -  I seem to remember that Gateway alone normally handles about 1,700,000 pieces of mail a day.

More during the holiday rush.

So a backlog of a million items, if my memory serves me, might not take the 'weeks' that management is predicting.

First, because a lot of inside workers will happily be working overtime.

Second, because this is the time of year when Canada Post is usually hiring part time and casual workers.

DD has a friend who was on the casual list for several years and brought in enough to raise his family. (Umm when I think of it, he may have been growing some crop on the side, like many other rural BC people.) He covered vacations and sick days, not just the holiday rush.

[momcqueen]

The six-week estimation given by management was under assumption of continuing job action throughout that time: ie no extra shifts and daily rotating strikes.

[momcqueen]

More from the news:

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.4920086

“For his part, (Conservative Senator Leo) Housakos stressed his support for the bill because the holidays are approaching and Canadians would be relying on postal services to deliver packages.

"’This is going to have a devastating effect on the commercial industry in Canada that depends so heavily on Christmas sales,’ he said.”

[momcqueen]

Senators return for the third reading tomorrow at 2 pm ET.

[momcqueen]

Opinion piece looks interesting:

https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/2018/10/23/why-canada-post-doesnt-deliver-for-canadi...

Mediator’s mandate expires pending outcoming of third reading

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.thestar.com/amp/edmonton/2018/11/25/mediators-mandate-for-canada-pos...

[momcqueen]

“Critics have argued the bill infringes on postal workers’ right to strike whereas supporters say the bill is meant to protect small businesses that rely on parcel delivery around the holidays.”

That puts it succinctly.

[femmefan1946]

I've noticed that management claims tend to be reported without attribution, while union claims are always attributed.

I may not be unbiased.

[momcqueen]

Can you provide an example of what you mean? I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying, and I’d like to.

[marnotom!]

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@momcqueen wrote:

Can you provide an example of what you mean? I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying, and I’d like to.

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Hi.  Hope you don't mind my answering this one.  Here's an example:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/canada-post-delivery-delays-southern-1.4912691

Canada Post is referred to as "Canada Post" and "the corporation" but Scarborough CUPW local president Mike Duquette gets mentioned by name.