CUPW Strike 2011

Laine, I agree with NS.

Having said that - I wouldn't know where to start de-mystifying the utter bullshit.

First, it's not a "full pension" at 55. It's an unreduced pension, assuming you have enough service. It means you don't get a "penalty" of (typically) up to 60% of what you've accrued. I'm saying this without knowing the details of the AC pension, but these are general principles.

Second, generally, if you work 35 years, you get a true "full pension". In the public service, that would equate to probably 70% of your best-five average earnings. Tell your ex-"friend" that Air Canada workers, like public service employees, pay into that pension out of every single paycheque they earn from day one, and the employer essentially matches that amount (that's not perfectly accurate, but close enough - there are contribution holidays the employer may take, etc. etc.). The money the employer puts in comes out of the overall negotiated compensation package. Unionized workers are smart enough to demand that employers set that money aside for workers' retirement, instead of paying it in (say) higher wages, and thus leaving it up to individuals to fritter away their savings for retirement.

This is the workers' money, set aside from their pay for the day when they will no longer work. Every Canadian should have exactly this kind of defined benefit plan. It shouldn't have to be negotiated workplace by workplace, because then it's easy to divide and rule, plus the more than 2/3 of workers who can't seem to unionize don't even have a say in the matter.

That's why the union movement is spearheading the struggle to double CPP/QPP benefits (and of course increase contributions). That will provide every Canadian retiree with 50% of the average industrial wage (half of about $43,000 - too lazy too look up what it is right now). That's obviously not enough, but it's far better than now. Ultimately, the goal should be to eliminate the need for private workplace plans. It's like when medicare replaced negotiated hospital insurance in the 1960s.

Your friend has a choice - to lick the f***ing boots of the ultra-wealthy, who are eager to destroy both negotiated workplace defined benefit plans as well as the public pension plan if they can - or get a brain and a heart, and join the struggle to ensure working people can work and retire in dignity and security. I don't hold out too much hope for your friend, whose instincts appear to be rotten to the core. But on Facebook, you don't always know what company you're keeping.

ETA: Laine, the reason you had a "reduced" pension was probably because you only had 5 years' service. If you had had (say) 30 years paid up at age 55 - or 25 at age 60 - it would still usually be classified as "early retirement", but there would be no percentage penalty. In your case, you would have had to wait till age 65 under the Superannuation Act (I believe!) in order to get your 5 years' worth (5 x 2 = 10% of your best five) without a reduction.

Thanks to both of you. I prefer offering my perspective or informed comment to defriending folks. In my view, I hope that people actually listen and maybe come to appreciate another POV. We all know they certainly aren't getting it from the media or the politicians. Plus it keeps me aware of just how hard the struggle is to change the course of our politics in this country.

Those are good inputs that I might use if I get a response. I did tell her that the retirement at 55 with full pension sounded like BS to me given that I knew that if I opted for early access to my pension it would be at a reduced amount. I also added this:

I too am on the Freedom 85 plan given what little CPP and my "bloated" government pension will provide. I don't blame the unions for this sad state of affairs. I blame the shift in our economic priorities where diminishing workers' benefits has been the trend for the past decade or two. What Nortel did with their pension plan is a crime. I hold my contempt for that 1% of the wealthiest who get obscene bonuses and pension packages that could feed a freaking village.

epaulo, I'm sorry about your employment battles. I was jerked around by one agency two times when I was on a priority list and recommended for a position two times with the same agency. I called my union rep and was told that the new collective agreement no longer had my situation covered under its grievances provisions. I looked into it the second time I got screwed because my tenure was ending. The first time I didn't bother fighting because I figured I didn't want to work for a group that was so vehemently opposed to hiring me. Life is too short for such aggravation.

But seriously, the public really needs to be better informed about pensions in general. CPP reforms are up for grabs and Harper is bound to make it into a cash grab for private investment/banking firms. And Unionist, I totally agree that defined benefit pensions should have become a universal condition for contracting permanent employees. I think the introduction and immensive advertising of RRSPs was a way to prevent that kind of movement from ever being realized.

Rallies and Demonstrations June 17, 2011 5pm Vancouver 349 W. Georgia June 17, 2011 TBA Windsor Starting at the University of Windsor, in front of Chrysler Tower (Sunset Ave. and Fanchette St.) June 18, 2011 1:30 pm Cape Breton Sydney PO, Aliant Parking lot @ George & Pitt St., Sydney June 18, 2011 2 pm Halifax Main Post Office, 6175 Almon Street June 20, 2011 12 noon Bathurst, NB 495 King, Bathurst June 20, 2011 6:30-9:30 pm Labrador City Back entrance of the Labrador City Mall June 20, 2011 5 pm Moncton -- June 20, 2011 Noon-8 pm Montreal Beach Party at Leo Blanchette Plant June 20, 2011 10am Ottawa Bank of Canada - rally for remittances June 20, 2011 TBA Saint John, NB Conservative MP's office June 22, 2011 9 am Toronto Yonge & Dundas, at the legal offices of Canada Post

* All times are local time.

Edit to UPDATE

June 17, 2011  -  18:45

Urban Postal Unit Negotiations (2011) / Bulletin

Negotiations Bulletin no. 71

Contrary to media reports, there have been no negotiations taking place in Ottawa. Today, CPC contacted the finance sub-table asking us to provide them with costing information. They also suggested they may have questions concerning our most recent proposals, which they have already told us they rejected. Just as they have done for almost eight months, CPC is waiting for the back-to-work legislation that they so desperately wanted. Instead of negotiating, they will be provided with a government-appointed arbitrator, who will have a mandate to attack the rights and benefits that postal workers have struggled for decades to achieve.

Timeline of Treachery

May 24: CPC begins its disinformation campaign. It issues a news release claiming CUPW demands would cost $1.4 Billion. It never attempts to explain the number.

June 1: CPC continues its disinformation campaign and claims mail volumes have declined 17% since 2006.

June 2-11:59 p.m.: CUPW begins rotating strikes.

June 3: CPC cuts off drug coverage and other benefits to all employees, including those on sick leave and disability insurance.

June 7: CPC claims mail volumes have declined by 50% since June 3rd. This does not correspond with information from postal facilities.

June 8: CPC announces it will stop letter carrier delivery on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

June 9: Labour Minister Lisa Raitt requests that the union suspends its rotating strikes and that CPC resumes postal service. CPC Chief Operating Officer claims CUPW has more than 50 demands on the table. CPC reneges on several of their offers.

June 10: CUPW agrees to suspend strike activity and continues to negotiate.  At 6 p.m., Canada Post management rejects the union's offer.

June 13: CUPW accuses Canada Post of aggressively trying to force postal workers out on a full-scale national strike in order to secure back-to-work legislation from the majority Conservative government.

June 14 (morning): CPC claims to have lost $70 million in revenue since June 3rd. In answering the question of a reporter, Labour Minister Raitt says there is no need for back-to-work legislation at Canada Post since it is only a rotating strike and the mail was still moving.

June 14 (evening): CPC claims to have lost almost $100 million in revenue since June 3rd. It announces an immediate national lockout.

June 15 (morning): Labour Minister Raitt says she has received very few complaints about the rotating postal strikes.

June 15 (afternoon): Labour Minister Raitt announces that in response to CPC's national lockout she will introduce back-to-work legislation.

The manner by which CPC provoked the government to introduce back-to-work legislation, explains their refusal to truly negotiate during the past eight months. They began negotiations determined to attack the rights and benefits of the workers who have made Canada Post a profitable company for 16 years. Now they have been rewarded for their intransigence by the Harper government.

In solidarity,

Denis Lemelin
National President and Chief Negotiator

http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13266/la_id/1.htm

Unions rally to support postal workers, as back-to-work law nears

By David P. Ball

| June 17, 2011

Thousands of unionists rallied outside Canada Post's offices in Winnipeg and Ottawa on Thursday in support of locked-out postal workers, while a solidarity rally is being planned today in Vancouver.

Chanting "Negotiate, don't legislate," members from dozens of unions protested outside Canada Post's Ottawa headquarters and Winnipeg offices, criticizing the federal government's tabling of back-to-work legislation next Monday....

http://rabble.ca/news/2011/06/unions-rally-support-postal-workers-back-work-law-nears

 

laine

..here's a blog out of wpg.

http://www.theworkerstrugglewiththemodernpost.blogspot.com/

..not much in the news in van except for the riot. i couldn't make today's rally but hopefully there will be another.

How many people would really care if postal service was disrupted?  95% of mail (at least) is just wasteful junk mail.

In the states, there have been discussions about eliminating Saturday deliveries to save money.  I won't miss a day of mail in the least.  In fact, if it was cut to just two or three days per week, it would be fine by me.

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION IN SUPPORT OF CUPW LOCKED OUT WORKERS Whereas the Harper Government is waging a full-out attack on workers' rights in Canada by implementing back-to-work legislation to end labour disputes; by abolishing defined-benefit pensions; by driving down wages; by cutting back sick-time benefits; and by rolling back women's rights, etc; and
Whereas the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is now under a nationwide lock-out, and are facing back-to-work legislation; and
Whereas the Canadian Auto Workers are on strike and facing back-to-work legislation;
Be it resolved that a National Day of Action of all Unions be organized immediately in communities to fight back in solidarity with the striking and locked-out unions to end Harper's attacks;
Be it further resolved that the New Brunswick Federation of Labour immediately call on all affiliates to support and participate in the National Day of Action;
Be it further resolved that New Brunswick Federation of Labour call on the CLC and all CLC affiliated unions to support and participate in the National Day of Action;
Be it further resolved that the National Day of Action be no later than June 23, 2011;

Submitted by: The Fredericton District Labour Council
from the wpg blog

http://www.theworkerstrugglewiththemodernpost.blogspot.com/

sven

..you come strolling in this thread making baseless statements. you have no numbers and you position borders on disrespect for working people. i'm not interested if your not going to be serious.

 

But, isn't it the Harper government's position that disruption of the mail service would be so catastrophic that it necessitates legislative action to order the workers back to work?  To me, that's a weak argument -- and a poor reason to negate a right to engage in a work stoppage, no?