Discussions

So, Who cares?  
 
People get direct deposit. Almost all statements and bills are online.  
 
Even Revenue Canada doesn’t even send mail out.  
 
99.9% of our mail is flyers and junk. If you pick up flyers in town you get them all anyway. And who needs junk.  
 
Always seems union thinks striking close to Xmas will get public opinion. No. Have your strike. No one cares.  
 
For all especially seniors they don’t have direct deposit please sign up. So much safer and quicker.  
 
Get all your bills electronically with email reminders that tell you amount.  
 
Do online banking. Much safer than getting statements in mail that someone can steal.  
 
Union better lower their wants. As they have far exceeded the rest of us.

Exhausted said "So, Who cares?     People get direct deposit. Almost all statements and bills are online.     Even Revenue Canada doesn’t even send mail out.     99.9% of our mail is flyers and junk. If you pick up flyers in town you get them all anyway. And who needs junk.     Always seems union thinks striking close to Xmas will get public opinion. No. Have your strike. No one cares.     For all especially seniors they don’t have direct deposit please sign up. So much safer and quicker.     Get all your bills electronically with email reminders that tell you amount.     Do online banking. Much safer than getting statements in mail that someone can steal.     Union better lower their wants. As they have far exceeded the rest of us. "

I care. I rely on my mail delivery a lot. I still get the odd cheque in the mail, birthday cards from family, Christmas cards, revenue Canada is in the process of sending me mail right now (so they do mail things). My sons passport came in the mail, I still get 60% of my bills in the mail.  
We receive small packages in the mail from online ordering, and other Canada post delivery drivers deliver the bigger ones.  
I currently have 8 small pkgs set to deliver in next couple weeks from mailman ( WiSH app shopping).  
With Greyhound closing up shop for parcels, Canada post is going to be utilized a lot more as well.  
 
So to answer your question... I care. And my mailman is a friend of the family, so I’d like to see him keep working so he can support his family!  
I sure wouldn’t want his job, especially in minus 40. And not just carrying mail, but flyers and pkgs.

A lot of people and businesses depend on the mail. Maybe not as much as in the past, but there are people that care if the mail service is interrupted.  
 
I do have concerns about unions in general asking for more than is warranted at times, but that's a whole other discussion.

https://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Canada-Post/salaries  
 
Unions asking for more than they deserve? The CEO makes $500000 a year. Does he earn more than he deserves?  
 
Unions are the only protection from the sweatshops of Asia, that we have in this country. If you think that business will "worry" about their employees when the corrupt banks are calling...your sadly mistaken.  
 
As far as Canada Post is concerned, given the current environment and competition, severe streamlining is probably in the future. Jobs will no doubt be lost...

email and online billing has become a way that has reduced postal needs, but online retail has become big and rely on the postal system.

It wasn't long ago that they were going to cut out the house delivery people and put up big mail boxes. A lot of them were going to lose their jobs and now they are demanding more money. How soon they forget.

Marpet said "https://ca.indeed.com/cmp/Canada-Post/salaries     Unions asking for more than they deserve? The CEO makes $500000 a year. Does he earn more than he deserves?     Unions are the only protection from the sweatshops of Asia, that we have in this country. If you think that business will "worry" about their employees when the corrupt banks are calling...your sadly mistaken.     As far as Canada Post is concerned, given the current environment and competition, severe streamlining is probably in the future. Jobs will no doubt be lost... "

I did say that at times I feel unions ask for too much. You didn't really address that, instead you deflected from that by stating what the CEO makes. Regardless, I still feel unions sometimes demand too much.  
 
As far as Canada Post is concerned, I agree, streamlining is in the future and there will be jobs lost. How this contract is negotiated may affect how soon and how many jobs are lost.

I thought it was fairly obvious that I don't feel unions ask for too much.  
As far as I am concerned, the employee deserves a far larger share of the company profit than some random board member or shareholder. I understand how capitalism works and that this is where the investment comes from, and that shareholders deserve a return on their investment but what about the investment that the employee makes?  
To argue that their wage and benefits are sufficient is tempered by the diminishing middle class, increased rates of poverty and a 1% that is becoming increasing isolated.  
There is a reason why Walmart will close a store before allowing a union and it's not because of a loss in profits for the Walton Family. Allowing a union means paying fair wages and providing benefits which means less for the rich.  
 
Does Canada Post deserve more? I don't know the particulars, but if the CEO and upper management, board members and shareholders get a larger chunk of the pie, then so do the employees. It might be possible their is no pie left to divvy up.  
 
Marpet

Mail is irrelevant, it's the parcels that drive Canada Post. If you do see a strike it'll be because management wanted to see if the union would blink, and they won't. They know that the competition out there is incredibly fierce and that shippers are already pushing their volume into the competition in anticipation of a strike. It's not like it was in 1997 where your options were Canada Post or Purolator, there are dozens of options and the big three global parcel companies are very well prepared to absorb whatever Canada Post wants to lose. The contracts are literally sitting there waiting for signatures and the first day of a strike they'd lose 40% of their volume and only some of that would return after the strike ended...and management knows that.

Marpet, if you truly believe unions never ask for too much we'll never see common ground on this issue.  
 
"To argue that their wage and benefits are sufficient is tempered by the diminishing middle class, increased rates of poverty and a 1% that is becoming increasing isolated."  
If we're talking Canada Post employees here I don't believe talking about poverty is helping to make much of a point. Canada Post employees appear to be well paid.  
 
If we're going to talk about Walmart we should probably do it in a discussion that focuses on unions or non-unions and how the workplace and workforce is affected, but I expect we aren't going to have much of anything to agree on. I do think though, that companies like Walmart do help to make your case for the need for unions to stand up for employees.

Marpet said "I thought it was fairly obvious that I don't feel unions ask for too much.   As far as I am concerned, the employee deserves a far larger share of the company profit than some random board member or shareholder. I understand how capitalism works and that this is where the investment comes from, and that shareholders deserve a return on their investment but what about the investment that the employee makes?   To argue that their wage and benefits are sufficient is tempered by the diminishing middle class, increased rates of poverty and a 1% that is becoming increasing isolated.   There is a reason why Walmart will close a store before allowing a union and it's not because of a loss in profits for the Walton Family. Allowing a union means paying fair wages and providing benefits which means less for the rich.     Does Canada Post deserve more? I don't know the particulars, but if the CEO and upper management, board members and shareholders get a larger chunk of the pie, then so do the employees. It might be possible their is no pie left to divvy up.     Marpet "

What does the top brass of the unions make?  
 
Why should the employees get a larger share of profits? The shareholders that invest their money take the risk. Business goes under it is the shareholder that loses money, employees lose a job and find another. If the company loses money can the employees take the hit too?  
 
My buddy works for Purolator out west. 27 bucks an hour to deliver parcels. He laughs when workers threaten to strike. He mentions where else can you make almost 30 bucks an hour with benefits. Company vehicle to deliver, gas paid for, wages paid for, no education needed, standard class 5 license. Love to see any private company do that.

You don't think k that employees take a risk in an employer? Lose your job, go find another? How easy do you think it is to find a well paying fulltime job?  
The employee takes almost all the risk...from discrimination, safety violations, low paying back breaking work only to learn that you have no coverage and a measly retirement package that's been decimated by the market because companies don't offer defined benefit anymore.  
 
Alberta is a perfect example. Oil prices drop, employees dumped....do you think they just went out and got another job? There weren't any to be had. How did the top brass and shareholders make out? Not to many of them sending the keys to the house to the bank, I bet.  
Obviously, not all jobs are low paying but the average salary in Canada is $51000/year and the top CEO's make 200 times that.  
The problem isn't the union.  
 
Marpet

Marpet said "You don't think k that employees take a risk in an employer? Lose your job, go find another? How easy do you think it is to find a well paying fulltime job?   The employee takes almost all the risk...from discrimination, safety violations, low paying back breaking work only to learn that you have no coverage and a measly retirement package that's been decimated by the market because companies don't offer defined benefit anymore.     Alberta is a perfect example. Oil prices drop, employees dumped....do you think they just went out and got another job? There weren't any to be had. How did the top brass and shareholders make out? Not to many of them sending the keys to the house to the bank, I bet.   Obviously, not all jobs are low paying but the average salary in Canada is $51000/year and the top CEO's make 200 times that.   The problem isn't the union.     Marpet "

My buddy who owns a construction outfit in Alberta sure felt the blow of oil falling out. He pays his guy good wages as the oilfield pays. Laid off his workers due to no work. They at least got EI and the option to find other work. Where were the employees to help out the company financially? He is the primary shareholder, responsible for the millions in purchased equipment and loss of lease contracts, he was close to losing everything. Give away too much of the pie and it gets hard to weather the storm.  
 
Funny how CEO's keep getting brought up. Why is it always dodged on the question of what does the head of CUPW make?

I have had no respect for the corporation since this happened.. https://www.thestar.com/business/2012/10/06/canada_post_pays_bonuses_to_7402_employees_despite_financial_losses.html

I think Canada post is still used and important. I don’t live in Brandon, I’m more rural and our post office actually receives more than they used to because of online shopping.  
My other thought is that I think people in cities are wildly spoiled with door to door mail delivery. Why couldn’t we have one or two post offices in Brandon where people go to pickup their mail? This would centralize the process and maybe help with hazards associated with being a mail person.

Viv said "I think Canada post is still used and important. I don’t live in Brandon, I’m more rural and our post office actually receives more than they used to because of online shopping.   My other thought is that I think people in cities are wildly spoiled with door to door mail delivery. Why couldn’t we have one or two post offices in Brandon where people go to pickup their mail? This would centralize the process and maybe help with hazards associated with being a mail person. "

Why? Well the 7th line I believe in the opening post was about the seniors. The community mail boxes work just fine and there are programs for seniors or those with disabilities. You drive up and fill boxes. Even with businesses I know ours wouldn't suffer if was reduced to a 2 or 3 day delivery week. Unions never want to see people reduced. It takes away the union dues they collect. With home delivery due to online bills and such now I am lucky to visit once a week if that.  
 
Edited by Fishin Guy, 2018-09-14 11:56:34

What do you have against people making a decent living wage??? Why are you so against canada post employees?? Why wouldnt canada post union ask for a raise when canada post makes millions of dollars a year?? Do u even understand what goes on at canada post??

memo99 said "What do you have against people making a decent living wage??? Why are you so against canada post employees?? Why wouldnt canada post union ask for a raise when canada post makes millions of dollars a year?? Do u even understand what goes on at canada post?? "

What is a decent living wage?  
Everyone thinks that as you become more educated your wages should go up. Is the scale increase the same for say 4 years of trade school vs 4 years of a field in University? If no education is required where should one start at wage wise?  
 
Nothing against postal workers. When people mention wages of the CEO yet when asked what their union top brass makes the question is always unanswered.

Canada post is still needed. But I'm surprised their doing as bad as they are even though Amazon, most online retailers use Canada post.  
 
As far as regular mail delivery. I don't get home service, and we have a community mailbox. Right now I check my mail every other day or at times 2 times a week. I like to receive all my bills via snail mail. But I pay all my bills online.  
 
Now I'm not saying for 2 or 3 day delivery, but in my case it wouldn't hurt me.

I have a group mail box on a rural route and that works great. Bills are all on line and i pay everything on line so a strike doesnt affect that. Howecer, my US oil royalty cheques come by canada post (direct deposit not available for those) so i hope any strike wont last for long. i have immediate plans for the next few cheques!!

Canada post makes millions so demand more or perhaps if unions quit demanding more and more Canada post could charge less get more. business and require more employees instead of driving customers to email and couriers and arguments about exec pay vs salaries employees never takes into account that management takes the risk of liability if an employee screws up criminal and financial liability can be assessed against management now if employees solely want to be held liable when they screw up

A large portion on the parcel delivery side is contracted out to private companies who deliver on a per parcel basis (and it's very hard to make money with what they pay) The delivery of the mail to the post offices has also been contracted out to private companies (for quite a long time now). One of the biggest fights the union fights is this contracting. At one point they converted a portion of the contractors over to Canada post but in the end you'll see contractors doing most of the work outside of the major centres like Winnipeg/Toronto/Calgary/etc.