When I'm retired from the Post Office and its labour/management wars of long duration.
Of course, as a responsible postie, I want to leave the management/labour relationship in better condition than I found it. This is a challenging issue which I addressed in a letter to a senior CPC(Canadian Postal Corporation) executive, yesterday.
Here's the letter:
"After listening to your speech on the "Modern Post" DVD, I realized that much of the distrust against CPC management seemed to build up at the beginning of contract negotiations.
The corporation's initial positions on many issues were often rollbacks which seemed unjustified to the union and the membership.
For months, there would be little change in negotiations as each side played "hardball" with each other.
Former CUPW president, Jean Claude Parrot made the cynical observation that management only negotiated seriously when the union was in a strike position.
Eventually, the rollbacks would go and a contract would be hammered out one way or another.
It should be noted that when both union and management understood each other's priorities in the last round of negotiations an agreement was reached fairly quickly.
Please note, however, that months of no progress and confrontational tactics leave a bitter taste in our mouths.
Surely, there must be a way in which the priorities of one side can be communicated quickly to the other.
Serious negotiating should start immediately rather than after the conciliator's report.
Time spent on name calling and posturing can undermine employee morale and productivity. Customers can also be lost during protracted disputes.
Why not start from positive negotiating positions and build on that?
Also, explain carefully all cost cutting measures to union leadership and CUPW members."
History Of The Canadian Union Of Postal Workers
Who Is Jean Claude Parrot?
Posted by qualteam
at 5:41 PM EDT