Mood:
irritatedI'll sure be happy when I no longer have to crusade for union sanity in CUPW and the Canadian Post Office. Voting for the tentative agreement will end Sept/24/03. Hopefully, the "yes side" will prevail and I'll be able to get on with my non postal life and creative pursuits.
Here is the fax:
Back in June, the conditions were ideal for a "smart strike":
* CPC was not negotiating seriously
* There was high solidarity between the locals and the NEB
* The MPs had begun their summer vacation
* The rank and file endorsed a strike mandate by 92.5%
Since that time the favorable conditions in the summer have vanished. What's left now are complex issues and tactics that locals and the NEB are not in agreement with.
* The Toronto Local has waged a non confidence campaign against the ability of the Negotiating Committee to reach an acceptable deal.
* Those on the "no side" have to support either the militant non compromising tactics of the radical malcontents or continue to support the NEB in reaching an acceptable negotiated settlement.
* The severance issue has split the membership despite the 1% increase four years from now.
* The MPs are back in the house which strengthens CPC's negotiating position, ANY NEGOTIATING P0SITION.
* A strike could produce massive losses for Canada Post which could result in CUPW losses in enforced binding arbitration (This has happened before and could happen again.)
* This is not a time for members to have expectations of large painless gains.
The easy strike decision in June now requires a tough strike decision under September conditions. Unfortunately, the ratification vote only touched on the above issues.
I definitely support a "no strike position" at this time. Of course, there are others who support "a strike position", but that position isn't well defined yet. Perhaps, many want to follow brother, Killy and sister, Kolompar to union martyrdom, but I doubt that.
Only a debate could clarify the strategies and tactics of each side. Then the majority could judge what the gains or losses could be and vote accordingly.
Posted by qualteam
at 5:23 PM EDT
Updated: Friday, 19 September 2003 5:32 PM EDT
St Johns