So Barbara Lilly, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Local 818, says union members are hopeful a negotiated settlement is still possible.
Lilly said that “It’s important that the public knows what our struggles are.”
Well, I wonder what they are, as nothing was said. I challenge the local president to outline union members present wages and benefits, and then what they are going for. Is she up to that challenge? You know, so we can sympathize with her.
It would be interesting to see how the wages and benefits compare to the public – you know, the ones who use their services to try and keep their businesses above water. Those businesses and employees probably don’t have a long list of benefits, retirement options, job security (whatever that is) and their sought-after equality.
It’s sad that these negotiations can only be done at a time when all of Canada really depends on the postal service. Oh wait; yeah, that would be a good time to apply pressure, I guess, because the rest of the time, it wouldn’t have near the impact.
If you believe in what you are doing and what you need, go for it. Just don’t hold the whole country hostage when they need postal service to try and survive. It’s kind of like the teachers striking at exam time.
I think I heard they have been working on this for quite a while. If so, why not the job action during the summer, rather than during the Christmas rush?
Keith Westfall, Red Deer