We want to hear from you—Canada Post labour disruptions

[happy_pigeon]

Hi all,

With Canada Post rotating strikes continuing for the third week with no indication of a resolution between Canada Post and CUPW, the eBay Canada team are looking to hear from Canadian sellers about the impact of the strikes on their business.

Feedback and examples from our seller community helps us to better advocate for you. If you're comfortable with sharing your experience, we want to hear from you, whether you've felt an impact from the postal labour disruptions or not.

Some members of my team (someone other than myself or Tyler) may reach out to you via PM for more information after you post in this thread. We look forward to hearing your stories!

[fergua3]

sorry, no morning coffee for me yet either.  I just got up from another sleepless night to check my tracking numbers and was greeted with some pleasant surprises....., yes, it appears to be 'last in-first out'.  At least that's the only explanation for the super fast processing of packages I've seen the past few days.  I mean, they've been processed and delivered faster than before the strike began.

[momcqueen]

Yes.... about that. I have a sneaking suspicion about that which I'm not yet ready to voice publicly.

I might be the most honest rule-abiding person you will ever meet but I was cursed (or blessed) with a conniving mind so I possess a Rain Man-style ability to see all angles of manipulation simultaneously.

It's not as cool as it sounds, it's only of many reasons I don't sleep.

When the dust has settled, I'll share my nasty suspicion if you haven't already guessed it by then.

In the meantime, I wrote to the PMO, my MP and the MP who attended the Canada Post hearings I testified at in Winnipeg two years ago. When I got up at 4 am, I wrote the Minister of Labour and sent a Letter to the Editor. I'll see what sticks. 

I really, really do not want to draw fire as a 'poor me, small business online seller' but I'll start pitching that story to local media if I have to. Let me again stress how much I do not want to go there. Do not. Want to go there. At all. 

[block36]

I want to add that I observed great speed for my tracked packages to USA (sorted in Misssissauga).
I also generate the tracking with USPS, and the Expedited parcel that was submitted to a postal outlet on Nov 15 in Toronto has arrived to California address on November 19 - the record even for a "non-strike" time.
But the note of delivered parcel came from the USPS only, the Canadian tracking still shows that "item out for Delivery" since 8 a.m. on November 19.

Therefore I strongly recommend to have USPS tracking as well to have more accurate information.

[katlover1952]

I too sell small lower priced items that people are unwilling to pay for tracking so I usually ship small packet air without tracking for the most part. I decided that it was too nerve racking to continue to do this with the mail situation what it is.  So last night I ended the majority of my listings (went from about 700 to 60) in my store, just leaving ones had set up with tracked already due to the price. My sales had really been in the tank since about the time the strike began anyway. I honestly don't expect to get many sales but at least I will have some measure of protection with tracked packet  if I do sell something. I sell mostly jewelry & the difference in cost of an item 100 grams or less between tracked & non-tracked is over $6.00. The heavier the parcel the less the gap is. Crazy really and I am sure it will go up again in January as it always does.

Of course eBay will continue to collect their store fees even though I am not listing anywhere near the maximum so that will hurt a bit but I had come to the point that I saw it as the only alternative. Buyers are pretty demanding these days (most anyway) & all I could see were problems with continuing business as usual.

[theoldestfart]

Well I purchased a small item from someone near Chicago on Nov9th it was mailed Nov 11th. Here it is Nov 21st and the pkg was last seen in Montreal yesterday. I will be lucky if I see it next week. Still not going to buy anything further on eBay. 

[photoseeum]

I totally agree with you as Ebay Canada is not protecting sellers.  I sold an item via letter mail as it would cost more than the item is worth via tracked pack.  Customer did not care about a strike and wanted a refund.  Ebay refunded him even though I asked for him to wait 1 more week.  Because, he escalated it to a claim  I got dinged as I was not the one who settled on refunding him.  I call up Ebay.  The rep does not know anything about a CDN postal strike.  Was told that there is no Canadian 1-800 the USA now handles both.  My problem he told me was that I did not use tracking showing proof of shipment.  I told him I understood why Ebay refunded the customer who would not wait.  But why am I getting a strike on my performance.  It actually turned out to be two strikes.  One for not settling and Ebay having to step in and the other for non shipping.  I told him that I thought Canada Ebay was going to protect sellers who continued to sell through this strike.  He told me he knew of no such protection and was only focused on the fact that I did not have tracking.  I have been selling on Ebay since 1997 very disappointed with the way I was treated.

[momcqueen]

I'm back at my desk like I said I would be last night and I will return to your Original Post on this to tag ebay staff and ebay Canada people who can help. I think the 1-800-Customer-Service Rep who handled your call was ill-trained to deal with the request. I think the right ebay folks can help you.

@happy_pigeon and tyler@ebay

[cumos55]

Winnipeg Free Press, Thursday, November 22, 2018

The Front Page --- Selling on eBay is highlighted with a photograph of an eBay seller and the Heading..... Postal strike hurting online retailers at busiest time of year

A full page of reporting... One photograph and three articles

(1) The photograph is the same person as on the front page, the first page in this newspaper

(2) Online sellers hurt by delays ----   How things are for the eBay seller in the picture,  and how things may change in 2018  if online purchases are not available

(3) Labour dispute reveals shifting nature of postal service ---  The discussion starts in 2007  and advances to 2011, the previous postal strike, and then to 2018.  Things have definitely changed from lettermail to parcels.  The billing and payment system, using lettermail has changed  to use of the internet. 

"Today a postal strike is a hassle for small businesses and customers ordering online , but hardly critical.  It's a bit of an inconvenience, but it's not the end of the world  like it once was"

This author has to go to school an find out what it means to sell online, and then the effect of a postal strike an online business

(4) Ottawa ready to force end to mail strike.  

The Federal Government is ready....  but appears to be somewhat hesitant....  A negotiated settlement  is a better option, but not a reality.

Canada Post is in a waiting mode  and reporting a massive backlog of trailers that contain mail ... mainly parcel mail

CUPW, the Postal Union disputes the claim of a massive backlog of trailers and claims Canada Post is lying.    Canada Post has had to move the trailers to an offsite,  rented site.  Something CUPW chooses not to recognize.

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

Final conclusion ---  Things will happen, but everything will take time.

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

Final concern....  The NDP is on the side of the union  and may create  a barrier to legislation. In 2011 it was a lengthy filibuster, which meant a series of days where the NDP  speaks, speaks, and speaks in response to legislation,  and slowed down the process of having the back to work legislation passed.   

[cumos55]

Online selling continues to change how people buy.

Canada Post must change.  But.... When will the appropriate changes be allowed

The Postal Union, CUPW wants what it wants, and chooses not to work with Canada Post.  They want Canada Post to do it all.

The Federal Government must learn, and make adjustments  that will allow Canada Post to function without   the possibility of ever having another strike.    The Government has too much control on what Canada Post wants to do to become more of a self-sustaining corporation in today's online world.

Online sellers need a voice similar to that presented by CUPW.  CUPW must be told what is required, and CUPW must adjust to the reality of today's  world of retail.  CUPW must work with Canada Post, and NOT fight with Canada Post.

[photoseeum]

Something I did not know. .........Canada Post is considered an essential service, meaning the federal government can table legislation to force workers back on the job in the event of a strike.  I got this from an article from Global News.  So if its considered an essential service why allow Canada Post the ability to strike in the first place.  I suspect the main reason is politics.

[momcqueen]

For two solid days now, I’ve been giving everyone the same advice:

Write the PMO and your MP and the federal Minister of Labour to explain what impact this labour dispute is having on you. Cc local media.

I did.

[rose-dee]

---

@photoseeum wrote:

Something I did not know. .........Canada Post is considered an essential service, meaning the federal government can table legislation to force workers back on the job in the event of a strike.  I got this from an article from Global News.  So if its considered an essential service why allow Canada Post the ability to strike in the first place.  I suspect the main reason is politics.

---

I don't know whether permanent legislation exists declaring Canada Post an essential service.  Nonetheless, this is the premise on which the government bases any back-to-work legislation put to Parliament.  

On the other hand, CUPW has challenged the government's ability to enact such legislation (as it did with respect to the 2011 government legislation), based on rights granted under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, specifically the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression.  In 2015 CUPW won its legal battle in CUPW v. HMQ by way of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice's declaration that the back-to-work legislation unconstitutional and invalid.  The declaration was applied retroactively but could not apply to future legislation.  

I can't recall exactly what the series of events was in the 2011 postal dispute -- maybe somebody who remembers more about it can.  In any case, the problem is that CUPW's court challenge wasn't heard and decided until 2015, long after the legislation originally took effect, and the court declined to agree to any award of damages to CUPW.  So it was only a retroactive moral victory for CUPW against the government, not a practical one.  

This is mainly why, aside from being a political nightmare, such legislation, and the whole Canada Post-CUPW-government problem around postal strikes is so fraught.  

[msmaggie060]

My ExpressPost parcel has finally reached Edmonton and is hopefully on its way soon to final destination. Took 15 days from Torontoto get to Edmonton, AB. Canada Post is saying another 7 days to reach destination post office, a 2 hour drive from Edmonton. At least it should arrive before Christmas.

[momcqueen]

ypdc_dennis said in an earlier post on another thread (I think) that the legislation itself was not deemed unconstitutional but that dictating the wages was the part that crossed the line. If I understand that correctly.

[oldhousejunk]

Just a heads-up if you didn't know about this already. 

Because of the strike, I  sent refunds to all the buyers who I had not yet mailed their packages. 

Then I went in and cancelled all my listings - everything had bids on, so it has to be done manually for each bid. 

Today I checked my ebay account and I had been charged final value fees for the highest bid on every listing, including FVF for shipping (around $200). 

Spent an hour with a customer service rep on ebay trying to sort it out and not be charged these fees.  He was very helpful, and able to reverse all the charges.  He said to make sure to check on any refunds you give, as the fees can still be applied.  

Just another problem to deal with during this whole stupid postal strike!

[pintastic]

According to the website of Paul Cavalluzzo, the lawyer who handled the case, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in favour of the postal workers five years later, on April 28, 2016, finding the legislation unconstitutional because it violated the workers' freedom of association and expression as guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Its time that the union understands who their real boss is.  Its the people who pay for the postal services.  Businesses are suffering now because of rotating strikes, so they are currently losing money.  After the strike who do you think is going to be paying the higher postage rates.  Its time we elect politicians who stop playing footsies as they are afraid to lose votes or held hostage by the unions.  We need to elect officials who are not afraid to do whats right and forget about political correctness. 

[forester_studios]

We need a government who will make CP an essential service or privatize it. Any party who puts that in their election platform next year will get the small business vote. Question is do any of them have the guts to do it? If not CP will suffer a slow death by pricing itself out of business with it's yearly increases. Online business will only be affordable for the multi million dollar companies if a few more years.

[pintastic]

Somebody had it right back in 2014  I have selected only my perception of what was good and omitted other info presented in the original document.

ARTICLE 10 NO STRIKE – NO LOCK-OUT

10.1

During the term of this agreement, the Association agrees that there shall be no strikes and the Corporation agrees that there shall be no lock-outs.

ARTICLE 11 DURATION AND RENEWAL

*11.2

Unless otherwise expressly stipulated, this Agreement shall become effective on the date it is signed and shall remain in effect until March 31, 2014.

11.3

Either party desiring to propose changes or amendments to this Agreement shall, within a period of four (4) months prior to the termination date, give notice in writing to the other party of the changes or amendments proposed. Within twenty (20) days after such notice by one party the other party is required to enter into negotiations.

11.4

If the parties are unable to reach a negotiated settlement either party may provide notice to the other party of its intention to refer all outstanding matters to a mutually agreed upon arbitrator for final offer selection arbitration, and neither party will have recourse to their respective right to strike or lockout.

11.5

If the parties are unable to agree to an arbitrator within ten (10) days of the notice given pursuant to Clause 11.4, either party may apply to the Minister of Labour to appoint an arbitrator. 11.6

The parties will simultaneously submit, in writing, their respective final offers to the arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the notice given pursuant to Clause 11.4. Such offers may not be amended once they have been submitted.

With some thing like the above there would not be strikes and no longer long term negotiations that are going no where.  With the stipulation of an arbitrator things will come to and end sooner rather than later.

[momcqueen]

As a Winnipegger and Manitoban whose home has a proud history of being rebellious and leading revolutions that change the way things are done going forward, I don't begrudge the value of unions to the people.

But there are more people than union members. I would support binding arbitration for Canada Post. As a shopper and seller. 

I feel like I should have this printed on a T shirt already but here I go again:

Write the PMO and write your MP and write the Minister of Labour about how this affects you. Send a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper (like I did) or contact other local media. Tell them about the impact this postal disruption has had on you. 

Many little people make a difference. That is the founding principle of any basis for change. 

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/canada-post-501042732.html

[cumos55]

The problem with the Back to Work Order in 2011,  was most likely due to the fact that the order did not agree with the final negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post. 

The Government  modified the order,  and the Postal  Union did not get everything that had been negotiated