Striking unions offside with public

MI Agency via Sun Media ^ | 2011-06-29 | Daniel Proussalidis

[Clive]

OTTAWA - As "Solidarity forever!" rings out at union halls, most Canadians have refused to lock arms with organized labour in two recent strikes.

A new Abacus Research poll for QMI Agency has found 60% of Canadians across the country say they supported this month's federal back-to-work legislation for Canada Post and Air Canada employees.

Pollster David Coletto says he's rarely seen public opinion line up so strongly with a decision by the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"When an issue hits people in how they live their lives, and whether they can travel, or whether they pay their bills or get their magazines in the mail, you get a reaction like this," said Coletto.

Majorities in every province supported the back-to-work bills.

At 68% in favour of the legislation, Ontario stood out as the most anti-union province in the poll.

Perhaps surprisingly, even though the NDP led the filibuster in the House of Commons against the Canada Post back-to-work bill, only 44% of New Democrat voters said they opposed the bill, while 43% supported it.

"While the NDP was taking a stand and saying they support the employees of Canada Post, (party) supporters weren't as unanimous," said Coletto.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) may launch a constitutional challenge of the bill.

Union officials have not commented publicly on the possibility, but one source within the union confirmed the move was under consideration.

The union has also complained its workers aren't being allowed to work overtime hours, forcing some letter carriers to bring back mail they weren't able to deliver within their eight-hour shift.

While that could delay mail delivery, Canada Post says the temporary measure will keep down costs.

"We just lost a couple hundred million dollars though a very difficult labour disruption," [...]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Clive.

[Clive]

From the article:

"The union has also complained its workers aren't being allowed to work overtime hours, forcing some letter carriers to bring back mail they weren't able to deliver within their eight-hour shift."

I wonder how much of that is because of actual overloads and how much of it is a union tactic.

If it is a tactic, it is a risky one.

I got my first post strike mail delivery yesterday. The postie arrived at about his usual time. My mail consisted of three bills, nothing else. There was none of the usual bulk mail.

[gymbeau]

Mine was one bill, a bunch of junk mail, and a “we tried to deliver” notice dated June 10th. I caught the postie next door and waved the notice saying “I’m here, you didn’t even ring the doorbell!”

She said it was from before “we were locked out.” I said “You mean from before you went on rotating strikes?” She gave me a dirty look and continued her walk.

cheers
Jim