The federal government has ordered Canadian Post employees back to work after a rotating strike and lockout disrupted mail service across the country.
B次元官网网址淓veryone is glad to be back to work, itB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檝e always wanted to do,B次元官网网址� said Janet Barney, Canadian Union of Postal Workers local 850 president.
Canadian Post employees who work in depots reported back to work on June 27 for the evening 3 p.m. shift. Letter carriers are scheduled to resume work Tuesday morning.
The federal government legislating a contract between CUPW and Canada Post has dangerous ramifications for workers across Canada, Barney said.
B次元官网网址淲ith Stephen Harper stepping in, itB次元官网网址檚 unjust, itB次元官网网址檚 not fair,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭his sends a sad message to all workers in Canada. The Harper government is very anti-worker.B次元官网网址�
Many workers at the Canada Post depot on Station Avenue in Langford said they appreciate NDP MPs staging a 58-hour filibuster in Ottawa to stall back to work legislation.
B次元官网网址淓ven though it was a lost cause, it was nice of them,B次元官网网址� said Kim Hughes, a letter carrier from Langford.
Employees have returned to work under their old contract for the next 90 days. During that time Canada Post and CUPW will submit potential contracts to an arbitrator. One contact will be chosen. B次元官网网址淭his is winner take all,B次元官网网址� Barney said.
B次元官网网址淭his is binding arbitration with nothing in the middle,B次元官网网址� remarked letter carrier Effy Korkoras.
Postal workers say they are frustrated that outtstanding problem remain in their workplace, issues that prompted the rotating strikes in the first place. Letter carriers talked about constant forced overtime, understaffing and lack of breaks.
Prior to returning to work, employees heard rumours they would not be approved to work any overtime during the 90-day period.
With the backlog of mail, letter carriers say itB次元官网网址檚 going to take a long time for people to get their letters. People will be receiving items such as expired flyers and three week-old TV guides.
B次元官网网址淭here is a lot of mail in the system. We donB次元官网网址檛 know how to get all the stuff out,B次元官网网址� Barney said.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e been holding back mail, there is no overtime, there is no extended hours and we are understaffed,B次元官网网址� Pearce added.
As horns honk from passing vehicles, the postal workers on the picket line on Monday morning said they felt the support of the public.
One vehicle pulled over and gave the workers a bag of doughnuts and several coffees.
B次元官网网址淭his is the public that supports us,B次元官网网址� Hughes said. B次元官网网址淲e are not federal employees, we are a (Crown) corporation. Our wages donB次元官网网址檛 come from taxes. This is like any other business, the wages come from revenue.B次元官网网址�
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com
