Postal Strike

[heymac]

Strike Votes Scheduled: Make Your Voice Heard

March 10, 2011 - 10:15

Urban Postal Unit Negotiations (2011) / Bulletin

Negotiations Bulletin no. 21

The National Executive Board has unanimously adopted a resolution to conduct a strike vote for the Urban Operations Bargaining unit. The voting period will run from March 25th to April 17th.

A strike vote is necessary because we need a strong strike mandate to show Canada Post that postal workers are determined to see gains, not rollbacks, in this round of bargaining.

A high “Yes” vote will send Canada Post a powerful message that they need to negotiate seriously if they want to avoid a strike.



Unanimous Recommendation To Vote YES For A Strike Mandate

At your local strike vote meeting you will receive the latest update on developments at the bargaining table and vote by secret ballot on the following resolution.



Recommendation of the National Executive Board :



WHEREAS after over five months of negotiations there are many major issues in dispute;



WHEREAS there is a need to negotiate improvements in areas such as wages, benefits, pensions, rights of temporary employees, health and safety and full-time job opportunities ;



WHEREAS the employer's demands do not meet our needs and contain unacceptable rollbacks concerning sick leave, working conditions, seniority, letter carrier workload, wages, benefits, retiree benefits, and hours of work, pensions and benefits for new employees;



WHEREAS in order to assist the National Negotiating Committee to negotiate a collective agreement that meets the needs of CUPW members it is necessary to have a strong strike mandate;



Therefore be it resolved that the National Executive Board unanimously recommends you vote Yes to authorize the National Executive Board to call strike activities if necessary to achieve our demands, stop the employer’s rollbacks and improve the service to the public.



Your Vote Counts.

We need to tell Canada Post that we care about the future of postal service. We want a collective agreement that upholds the principles of equality, respect and a share of the benefits of modernization.

In solidarity,

Denis Lemelin
National President and Chief Negotiator

[MAPearce]

Ummm... yeahoksure....Send me an email or contact me via bbm. If that fails ,gimme a poke on Facebook.

[Urbane]

I would be interested to hear what postal workers are receiving now in terms of salary and benefits and what they are seeking. I'm particularly interested in the request for an improved pension. How does the pension plan work now and what improvements are being sought. Also, I'm wondering why the postal workers, or at least their union, is involving itself with action against Israel. From Wikipedia:

Support for boycott and disinvestment from Israel

In April 2008, the CUPW became the first national union in North America to pass a resolution supporting the boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel. The resolution commits CUPW "to work with Palestinian solidarity and human rights organizations in developing an education campaign about the apartheid nature of the state of Israel and Canada’s political and economic support for these practices" and to "call on other Canadian unions to lobby against the apartheid like practices of the Israeli state."[10] To implement its controversial political activism, CUPW has stated that, following the passing of the resolution, it will look at all its investments to ensure none are in Israeli companies, implement a policy to ensure no products purchased by CUPW are made by Israeli companies, and provide information to CUPW regions, locals and members on boycott, divestment and sanctions in order to encourage all levels of the union to engage in this campaign. However, CUPW currently has no plans to block the processing of mail destined for Israel, although it is acknowledged that this may be adopted in the future. CUPW has not commented on how this action contravenes the legal mandate of Canada Post. [11]
The Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) criticized CUPW for its decision to boycott and disinvest from Israel. The CEO of the CJC, Bernie Farber, argued that “CUPW has a very well-established, almost an iconic, reputation as a radical organization on the far extremes of the Canadian labour movement” and that “The vast majority of men and women working for the postal service have no clue about such resolutions. Very few pay any attention to it.”[12]
Lawrence Cannon, Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities wrote that "The views of CUPW do not reflect the views of the government or Canada Post. It is unfortunate that CUPW has threatened to disrupt the mail."[13]
In May 2010, CUPW expressed opposition to the creation of the first-ever postage stamp issued jointly by Canada and Israel, which commemorated 60 years of bilateral relations between the two countries.[14] Canada Post spokesperson John Caines later stated that CUPW’s opinion does not reflect that of Canada Post.[15]

[heymac]

Well when it comes to the pension,we pay about $125.00 every 2 weeks towards it. We now have a defined benefit plan. CP wants that changed for all new employees and current temp employees to a defined contribution pension. What we currently have is more stable. What will affect current full time/part time workers and already retired workers will be the downloading of the cost of the extended medical benefits. How much we don't know yet. I believe all of it. We only pay a portion of that now.

What we want is no two tier pension plan. CP has made millions over the past 10 years even in the recession.

Letter Carriers make $24.39 hr, 40hr week which includes a 1/2 paid lunch. CP wants a two tier pay scale without a paid lunch (phased in over several years) for new employees and current temp workers. I've heard rumors of $16.00 hr. It would increase over time but would never get to what we get now. Some temps have worked there for years. To have their pay cut back by approx $8.00 hr well I don't think many joe public would like that either although I know it has happened in some cases. My deductions on a two week check add up to $650.00 including the pension portion. CP has made millions over the past years even in a recession.

We have dental, vision, drug plan which we pay a portion. None pays 100% of the actual cost of the dental, glasses, drugs etc. Many plans are much better then ours. But it's still pretty good.

Much of our fight this time is about disintegrating service especially over the past year. It's disgusting and the public deserve much better. CP new delivery model which is presently being implemented across the country is the same model that has the US postal service almost bankrupt. But we don't make the decisions, just follow them. More and more members are questioning the bosses on what the hell is happening. It's like their trying to sabotage the whole postal system. Privatization is not the answer. That will be a two tier postal system as no other delivery system goes to as many address's as we do.

If your really interested you can go here and follow the day to day updates we get....well rather week to week.....http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/1165/la_id/1.htm There you will find most all the answers to your questions. If you want to read about some horror stories on the floor around the country you can go here....http://www.theworkersstrugglewiththemodernpost.blogspot.com

Israel? Many members disagree with our union on that one. When the time comes to vote for our national leaders things might change.

I would like to see a discussion started about a possible strike and how the public really feel about their postal system. It really is important to most of the workers. A discussion without alot of cheap shots if at all possible... :dyinglaughing:

I would also appreciate your support to your local postal worker by making your views known to the "Harper" (can you believe that guy) government through a letter, phone call, email, to your local MP before it's to late.

Thank you.

[Urbane]

Thanks Heymac. I understand the issues more clearly now. As to Israel . . . when I was teaching I was always concerned when the BCTF got involved in issues beyond its mandate. The policy on Israel by CUPW seems well beyond the mandate of the union. Again, thanks for the info and I hope a collective agreement is reached that's fair to everyone. Hopefully without a strike.

[heymac]

Urbane...you know whats funny about a strike? If their is an election call the postal service becomes a "essential service" so we would have to go back to work to deliver all the election flyers! After 3 weeks of the election we can go back out again.:dyinglaughing: :dyinglaughing:

[Urbane]

Urbane...you know whats funny about a strike? If their is an election call the postal service becomes a "essential service" so we would have to go back to work to deliver all the election flyers! After 3 weeks of the election we can go back out again.:dyinglaughing: :dyinglaughing:

I agree. That is funny.

[Amarow121]

Sucks being an "emergency service" doesn't it?
Especially when the government won't normally classify you as one except for when they decide it's in THEIR best interests.

Okay... Postal strike would affect me a bit, I send light packages to the US on occasion, 2 a month approx.
So I suppose I'd have to go Fedex or something. That'd be a pain.

[Rwede]

What a joke. The very existence of your jobs is at stake, and you're trying to bilk more money and benefits from your employer. Typical union nonsense.

You're not looking to the future preservation of your jobs, but are simply squeezing your employer into having to take dramatic cost cutting measures, which will include cuts to your jobs. With the increasing and accelerating decline in mail volumes, you should be working with your employer on how to best handle the situation and ensure your future employment, rather than calling your troops to battle against your employer.

You're going to get exactly what you deserve from this foolishness, and that's the loss of your jobs instead of pay and benefits increases. Good luck finding suitable replacement employment when it happens.


•Canada Post recorded its 15th consecutive year of profitability despite sustaining one of the most challenging years in its history.
•The profit was due to two factors: an unplanned, non-cash reduction in employee future benefits expense, and stringent cost cutting efforts across the Corporation.
•Volumes in the core Canada Post segment dropped by almost 8% in 2009, wiping out close to five years of growth.
•Volumes in our transaction mail business continue to decline: transaction mail volume per address declined for the fourth straight year, and the rate of decline also increased for the fourth straight year.
•Consolidated revenue from operations reached $7,312 million, a decrease of $421 million, or 5.1% from 2008.
•Consolidated cost of operations for fiscal 2009 totalled $6, 955 million, a decrease of $639 million from the $7,594 million recorded in the previous year.
•Consolidated net income for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2009 was $281 million, an increase of $191 million from the previous year. This performance reflects the cost containment measures and the unplanned non-cash reduction in employee future benefits expense for the Canada Post segment.
•The Canada Post Group delivered approximately 11 billion pieces of mail to 15 million residential and business addresses.
•With approximately 71, 000 employees, The Canada Post Group is one of the largest employers in Canada.
•The Canada Post Group spends approximately $3 billion annually on goods and services, thereby supporting an additional 30,000 jobs in the Canadian economy.

[heymac]

"With the increasing and accelerating decline in mail volumes"

That's alot of BS. It's not hard to fudge the numbers when you want to. Ask the people on the floor that do the work if volumes are down. I'm carrying more mail now, working longer hours then ever before. And if it's so tough, why is CP about to pay a bonus this year to the employees? The only way jobs will be lost is if Harper sells the post office to their buddies.

OTTAWA - After five months of negotiations with Canada Post, members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers urban operations bargaining unit will be voting on the possibility of a strike. The union asked for conciliation in January, citing an impasse at the bargaining table that shows no sign of abating.

“It is difficult to negotiate when Canada Post’s demands for rollbacks stay on the table,” said Denis Lemelin, CUPW’s National President who is also acting as chief negotiator. “They have been going after our sick leave, our pensions, our retirees and our newest members. All this while they are making profits. Why can’t they invest some of these profits in their people and communities instead of machines?”

Canada Post’s recent $2-billion investment in new technologies and restructuring of the postal system has created problems nationwide, including in Winnipeg, Scarborough, Moncton, Laval and Saskatoon. Concerned postal workers have pointed out that much of the mess could have been avoided if upper management at Canada Post had been less fixated on change at all costs and taken the time to listen to workers on the ground.

The introduction of new work methods has resulted in unsafe working conditions, excessive amounts of forced overtime, and major problems with service to the public. The union has submitted proposals at the bargaining table to address these problems. But management’s demands for big concessions at the bargaining table has created a sense of determination among postal workers, who are describing this bargaining round as “the fight of our lives.”

The union is urging Canada Post to consider service expansion, including postal banking, as a way for the postal sector to stay relevant and maintain good jobs in the digital age. Many countries, including Brazil, New Zealand, France, Italy, India, Australia, Switzerland and the UK are rising to the challenge by making enhanced services available through their comprehensive postal networks.

“We have a historic opportunity here to improve the postal service and ensure that it remains a common good, working in everybody’s interests,” said Lemelin. “We hope that a strong strike vote from our members will force Canada Post to sit down and negotiate a reasonable settlement.”

If the vote is a yes, postal workers across the country could be out on strike towards the end of April.

[heymac]

[center]

[/center]WHO'S TRYING TO SQUEEZE WHO?


March 14, 2011 - 14:00

Urban Postal Unit Negotiations (2011) / Bulletin

Negotiations Bulletin no. 23

The Give

Last week the employer presented the Union with a proposal on Unaddressed Admail. CPC proposed some additional time values including a new outside time value for the most affected routes. They proposed to structure Letter Carrier routes using a weight of 30 pounds per relay stop for combined Lettermail and Unaddressed Admail and eliminate the current values for weight. According to management about half of the routes would actually lose values but on average a letter carrier route would gain values of approximately one minute per day for unaddressed admail. Management plans to partially subsidize the cost of this extra minute by lowering the per piece payment to 2.2 cents from 2.3 cents for some sizes. Immediately after their presentation CPC distributed a Team Leader’s Update so that supervisors could inform CUPW members about their offer.



The Takeaway

The next day CPC tabled contract language for another demand. This demand was for the elimination of the five minute wash-up periods for all employees.



You Do the Math

The net loss of time values for full-time letter carriers would be 9 minutes per day. All other workers would see their workdays be extended by 10 minutes. The loss of 9 minutes per day per letter carrier would result in the elimination of approximately 450 full-time positions. Many hundreds of positions in Groups 1, 3 and 4 would also be eliminated.

CPC did not issue a Team Leaders Update on the job loss due to their proposal to eliminate the wash-up periods.





More and More Demands For Concessions


Employees Hired After Date of Signing Current Employees



Half hour paid meal

None for the first 10 years Current employees No change
10 minutes after 10 years Current employees No change
20 minutes after 20 years Current employees No change
30 minutes after 30 years Current employees No change


Five minutes wash-up period

No wash-up period Current employees Eliminate as of date of signing

Vacation leave

3 weeks to start Current employees 3 weeks to start
4 weeks after 10 years Current employees 4 weeks after 7 years
5 weeks after 18 years or service Current employees 5 weeks after 14 years
6 weeks after 28 years of service Current employees 6 weeks after 21 years


Eliminate 7th week of vacation for anyone with less than 28 years of service.

These employer’s demands are insulting and show what kind of «recognition» management has for the workers who have made CPC profitable for 16 years. Your negotiating committee will be pushing back on the employer’s demands and the membership needs to turn up the heat and let the employer know that we will not accept reduced benefits and the elimination of so many jobs. Postal workers have worked hard and we deserve our share.

In solidarity,

Denis Lemelin
National President and Chief Negotiator

[MAPearce]

Hey ! mac..... I don't get mail any more except junk mail and if I could stop that, I would in a heartbeat.

My bills and bill payments are all online, I haven't written a letter home since the advent of Skype and I can send "post cards of my vacation " via Facebook and BlackBerry apps....Instantly.

I'm not alone. How much longer do you really think you can go for the throat of you employer before you get the point that Canada Post is almost obsolete ?

You guys can strike till you starve. I ,along with many other people, just don't use the mail any more so, being that I'm not held "hostage " by a union in this case ,I won't be inconvenienced and won't notice Canada Post's absence...

But ... Good Luck with that...

[heymac]

Hey ! mac..... I don't get mail any more except junk mail and if I could stop that, I would in a heartbeat.

My bills and bill payments are all online, I haven't written a letter home since the advent of Skype and I can send "post cards of my vacation " via Facebook and BlackBerry apps....Instantly.

I'm not alone. How much longer do you really think you can go for the throat of you employer before you get the point that Canada Post is almost obsolete ?

You guys can strike till you starve. I ,along with many other people, just don't use the mail any more so, being that I'm not held "hostage " by a union in this case ,I won't be inconvenienced and won't notice Canada Post's absence...

But ... Good Luck with that...

The WWW will become unaffordable for most people within 10 years. Plus we got the same dumb arguments with the fax machine.

[MAPearce]

The WWW will become unaffordable for most people within 10 years. Plus we got the same dumb arguments with the fax machine.

Well...Like I said before. Good Luck. I'm all for fair wages,benefits and all that but I just don't use the post office any more. And with more and more places offering free wi fi as rental incentives,I can't really believe that it will be unaffordable in ten years.

If anything,it will become less expensive with more competition.

[Captain Awesome]

The WWW will become unaffordable for most people within 10 years.

Oh...what?