eBay

teenytrinkets · ‎10-20-2024

Is anyone closely following strike negotiations?

I'll likely have Time Away scheduled to avoid any Strike mayhem, but wondering what will happen to any lettermail/ packages that are already in the "stream". Will they sit at a depot/DC or on a truck for the duration, or will they likely have a rotating strike and keep moving things along with just delays?

msau4301 · ‎10-20-2024

I've regulary been receiving emails from Canada Post ("Negotiation Updates") and last one said the 21 day "cool down period" ends beginning of November so no labour discruption can occur before Nov. 3rd. Since that date is exactly two weeks from today that's not a lot of advance warning. I don't think anyone will know for sure until that date approaches (unless an agreement is made before that).

Their last update email said: "If there is a strong possibility of a labour disruption, we are committed to letting customers know as quickly as possible."

I feel like Canadian buyers would be understanding if mail is temporarily held up if strike happens, but the US buyers may not be. For myself I am going to end my listings before end of October to avoid them possibly stuck at a depot/truck as you say. It seems to me last time it was a rotating strike (or maybe I'm thinkof the teacher's strike?) and that it was as the holiday season was approaching also.

mrdutch1001 · ‎10-20-2024

As stated in another thread of same topic, my response was:

"I do not sell as a source of income so there is nothing that I "need" to prepare for that can't wait until things get sorted...

I use "Time Away" on a regular basis for holiday or vacation time/family time whatever I so choose, so any possible disruption with CP equates to "Time Away" for me..."

I may also take that "Time Away" as an apportunity to sort and donate more items locally in the continuing process to decrease "unwanted"items that have lost all potential buyer interest...

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎10-20-2024

For people who do high enough volumes to justify the added time it takes to drop off packages with Chit Chats or Stallion, those are two options to the USA that cost roughly the same as Tracked Packet. USA would be an easier transition without Canada Post because there is no Lettermail option. So the actual costs of shipping will be similar, it's just the value of your time that you have to consider (dropping in a Canada Post Box vs finding a Chit Chats location).

The people who will be hit hard if Canada Post strikes would be people who rely on lettermail rates to deliver value to customers. Particularly, people who sell items that can be shipped with 2 or less P stamps. For parcels to most Canadian addresses, you can use UPS or Fedex via eBay labels and get similar rates to Canada Post.

With that said, if the strikes are rotating and not full, I think most lettermail sellers will be fine so long as they have the appropriate shipping window selected in their shipping policy. If people use the generic economy shipping (18 business days) instead of lettermail (7 business days), most lettermail items should arrive on time. Add in a carefully written stock message reminding buyers of possible delays or increased shipping times, and most buyers will be understanding.

Anything going lettermail is generally very low value. Worst case scenario, a seller may have to give out a few extra INR refunds but that would be more ideal than ceasing operation for a high volume seller. The situation is different for a low volume seller where they can just remove their listings and pick back up in a month or two, and their two dozen items will sell through when they sell through.

reallynicestamps · ‎10-20-2024

The last disruptions started with intermittent, mostly 24 hour, walkouts by workers. These rotating strikes slowed the mail, but did not stop it.

There was also a fair amount of 'work to rule', a tactic that points out how much more the worker normally does that they are actually paid for.

There were longer walkouts in Mississauga and Winnipeg.

Then management went on strike and locked everyone out, stopping the mail entirely, and the government stepped in.

At the time, there was also the situation with China's underpayment of UPU fees and the fentenyl emergency, which had large amount of incoming mail being dealt with slowly at ports , including Mississauga. This caused great distress among buyer and among dropshippers whose goods were not being delivered.

msau4301 · ‎10-20-2024

Like you I do not sell here as a main source of income either. I usually have under 20 items at a time so it is very easy to wait things out like you say.

msau4301 · ‎10-20-2024

I do not send anything my lettermail but I do use the new(ish) Expedited Lite sometimes otherwise my items (Barbies) are too large and go regular parcel, but I am fine to wait it out if there is a strike. My only concern would be things that are out there in limbo if they had been sent out just prior to a strike (as I thought the original poster was saying).

I am definitely a "low volume seller" as I work for both my husband's company, and more recently my daughter's as well, but I continue selling here to thin out my own large collection in anticipation of downsizing at some point and when I started it was a lot of fun but there have been a great many changes since then, so sometimes not so much!

fergua3 · ‎10-21-2024

i've been through several strikes by CP and never set my listings on vacation, time away etc. Kept on trucking right through the strike, even when i was WAY busier than i am now. The Christmas strike freaked me out the most and in made both CP and the Union look like mud, so i really would be surprised if they did it again. No good will come of it for either of them, believe me. I think they learned their lesson.

However who knows. I won't be doing anything except playing it by ear. If it happens, it will probably follow the same familair playbook. Small rotating strikes building over time to large rotating strikes until CP managment locks all the workers out, knowing whatever gov't that is in power will legislate back to work.

This is the worst time because mail isn't just slow it is at a dead stop and it usually takes at least a couple of weeks to legislate back to work. Ebay will put up all sorts of warnings to potential buyers on both .ca and .com, so my experience has been that sales drop to nearly zero without vacation/time away being necessary.. Anyone that does buy is prepared to wait it out.

Anyway, as i said, i will be surprised if there is another Christmas strike.

Now my rant about strikes. Striking is of course very important BUT the whole point of strikes is to cost management a ton of money anf force them to buckle somewhat to demands. Stikes were never intended to hurt everyone else. In my view any business eg dock workers, railway workers, public transit, postal etc that operate businesses that will drastically effect/hurt a good portion of the population at large should be banned from striking. All contract negotiiations can be handled via a mediator/arbitation....these types of settlements virtually always favour the workers and no innocent bystanders get hurt.

Strikes should never be allowed to hold the Canadian pulbic hostage. Ever.

teenytrinkets · ‎10-23-2024

Yeah, tell that to WestJet and their maintenance workers. They had MONTHS of consistently high volumes of domestic flight cancelations because of the backlog of unscheduled maintenance that got worse after the strike. In BC we seem to suffer through the BC Ferries and Translink strikes on a regular basis. These are all transportion services that get us all to appointments, school, jobs, and important events. So tired of the constant rotation of disruptions!

oldhousejunk · ‎10-25-2024

I just asked at my local post office what the potential for a strike was. They told me from what they've been told, it will very likely happen, and be a full lockout, not the rotating strikes we've had before. I'm thinking I should just use UPS, but have never used them before. I've been selling on ebay for 20+ years and have been through some strikes, but the worst is when everything gets stuck for months.

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎10-25-2024

I spent two hours revising/consolidating my shipping policies and adding a disclaimer to my listings about the strike.

You guys will be happy to know that since I spent so much time editing my listings, the strike won't happen.

flipistics · ‎10-25-2024

I'm absolutely expecting a strike. I plan to shut my stores down on either Monday or Tuesday (hopefully that's not too late, but I suppose if a strike started on the 4th it could be).

ilikehockeyjerseys · ‎10-26-2024

Tracked Packet is probably okay for this weekend, because it only takes 1-2 days to be moved to the USA, but I would consider shutting down now for anything in Canada if you aren't using an alternative carrier.

It doesn't seem like eBay is going to offer any protection from INRs, so if you're going to shut down anyway it doesn't seem worth it to risk having to refund an order left in limbo if it is a full strike.

38e_avenue · ‎10-26-2024

Canada Post continues to negotiate with CUPW as union announces strike mandate

Today, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) announced it has received a strike mandate following a vote from its members. This means that they will have the legal right to strike starting November 3, if a minimum 72-hour notice has been provided.

Avoiding a labour disruption is critical

Both Canada Post and CUPW must focus their energies on resolving outstanding issues to reach negotiated agreements. We know that a labour disruption would have a significant impact on your business. We also know you are currently making decisions on how to best manage the upcoming holiday season. A labour disruption would have significant consequences for the businesses we serve and the millions of Canadians who rely on Canada Post, while deepening the company’s already serious financial situation.

Commitment to finding common ground

On September 25, Canada Post presented proposals to protect and enhance what’s important to employees, within the Corporation’s financial constraints, while making the changes that are necessary to better serve Canadians and Canadian businesses in today’s demanding parcel delivery market.

CUPW presented counter-offers to Canada Post on October 7, and the two sides continue to negotiate. The company remains committed to proceeding with urgency and finding the common ground necessary to reach agreements.

We continue to work with CUPW to reach negotiated agreements that not only avoid a labour disruption, but also put us in a strong position to invest in the business and our employees, and meet the evolving needs of our customers.

Our commitment to your business

We deeply value the trust that you put in us to deliver for your business, and we understand that you’re currently planning for the busiest time of year.

We also recognize you need to make business decisions as the negotiations process unfolds and we get closer to the holiday season. We want to ensure you have the information you need to make those decisions.

If there is a strong possibility of a labour disruption, we’re committed to letting you know as quickly as possible.

Key dates in the negotiations process

August 13: The parties moved into a 60-day conciliation period with the assistance of neutral conciliators.

October 12: The conciliation period expired without extension, and the parties moved into a 21-day cooling-off period, with negotiations continuing.

October 15: The federal government appointed mediators to assist the parties in negotiations.

November 2: The cooling off period will end. Only after this date would either party be in a position to initiate a labour disruption (following a minimum notice of 72 hours). This timeline means no labour disruption can occur before November 3.

brettjet38 · ‎10-27-2024

It WILL be a rotating strike by depot one day a week, they will still be delivering all the mail. My friend is a postie and yes they voted by 95% in favor of a strike but they will not be able to stop working.

You can read it all on the official union site,

Business as usual, do you really think the GOV will allow a full strike, lol - if you do, you really do not know how this game works.

Me I am not worried at all...

flipistics · ‎10-27-2024

@brettjet38 wrote:
It WILL be a rotating strike by depot one day a week, they will still be delivering all the mail. My friend is a postie and yes they voted by 95% in favor of a strike but they will not be able to stop working.

Business as usual, do you really think the GOV will allow a full strike, lol - if you do, you really do not know how this game works.

My opinion is that it will probably start as a rotating strike for a few days, and then Canada Post will lock out the workers to force a resolution before the biggest part of the Christmas rush. The government will then take a week or two of dragging their feet before finally trying to legislate something. Who knows how trying to do that might play out right now.

fergua3 · ‎10-27-2024

Both sides would be crazy to let a strike happen. Both will lose in the long run. Every time there is a strike, CP loses business pemanently as businesses and individuals seek out alternatives and remain with them, after the strike ends. And every strike there are more alternatives available, especiallly for businesses. Christmas strikes cause double the damage for CP as it is a critical time of year for thousands of businesses....in fact for many it is when most of their profit for the year is made. And these businesses have long memories and develop bitter feelings towards CP.

And, every time a strike happens the calls to privatize CP grow louder and more numerous.

It's not just CP execs that will lose. Less business and increased chance of priviitization means less job security for the workers. Less business means fewer employees needed. And If they think they will just carry on merrily if CP is privitized they're dreaming. A chunk will keep their jobs at the new, private, CP but at reduced pay and benefits...if they don't like it they don't have work there, will be the attitude. And a chunk of the workers will lose their jobs altogether.

Double the damage and potential for damage from a Christmas strike. The Canadian public is fed up.

Will saner heads prevail? I doubt it.

lotzofuniquegoodies · ‎10-27-2024

@fergua3 wrote:
Both sides would be crazy to let a strike happen. Both will lose in the long run. Every time there is a strike, CP loses business pemanently as businesses and individuals seek out alternatives and remain with them, after the strike ends. And every strike there are more alternatives available, especiallly for businesses. Christmas strikes cause double the damage for CP as it is a critical time of year for thousands of businesses....in fact for many it is when most of their profit for the year is made. And these businesses have long memories and develop bitter feelings towards CP.

And, every time a strike happens the calls to privatize CP grow louder and more numerous.

It's not just CP execs that will lose. Less business and increased chance of priviitization means less job security for the workers. Less business means fewer employees needed. And If they think they will just carry on merrily if CP is privitized they're dreaming. A chunk will keep their jobs at the new, private, CP but at reduced pay and benefits...if they don't like it they don't have work there, will be the attitude. And a chunk of the workers will lose their jobs altogether.

Double the damage and potential for damage from a Christmas strike. The Canadian public is fed up.

Will saner heads prevail? I doubt it.

@fergua3

If you review the annoucement from eBay it suggests using an alternative. Ummm....

*****************

Ensure that your listings/business policies offer an additional carrier option. eBay sellers receive eBay-negotiated discounts on eBay Labels UPS and FedEx services as well, so consider familiarizing yourself with these services.
Shipments that are already in transit may also be impacted if labour disruptions take place. For extra peace of mind and to ensure your buyers receive their shipments on time, consider using an alternative shipping service from now until at least October 31, when the result of the strike vote is announced or the parties reach an agreement.

****************

Sadly or unfortunately there are no ecomomical, convenient, reliable replacements for a large portion of Canadian sellers compared to CP. UPS/Fedex/Canpar are just too darn expensive even with the negotiated discounts. In many rural areas parcels that start with Fedex/UPS etc get handed off to CP for end of the road. Throw in additional charges like residential pick ups and/or delivery fees it's mine zone taking a chance using them. The others are only available to a small minority with very limited easily accessible offices.

As a side note the eBay Calculator Tool STILL hasn't been fixed for sellers who lean towards flat rate 1 size fits all shipping or can get away with it. The tool was was released well over a year ago. Lost track of the exact date. It should have been fixed by now!!! Especially under these circumstances!!!

38e_avenue · ‎10-27-2024

Do you remember, what they did in 2011? They shut down all services for 2 weeks .... 😓

mrdutch1001 · ‎10-27-2024

2011 isn't 2024...and speculation is a waste of time, as no one's gonna know what is gonna happen until CP announces it...so let's wait and see...because ...whatever happens, happens and we will all deal with whatever happens, in our own way...