December 4, 2008
UPCE STRIKE – Day 18
NOVA SCOTIA
There was a big surprise on the picket lines in Sydney last night when members decided to do double duty and set up lines to greet the RMS trucks thus hitting Canada Post with more overtime claims. It was a very successful night. Picket lines remained strong in Antigonish. Trucks were still greeted by the picketers and it was confirmed that all mail to the National Philatelic Centre is now being redirected. Members are getting ready to picket the Constituency Office of Peter MacKay on the weekend and will have support from students at St. F. X. University. Picket lines went up at 6 a.m. in Halifax. Members are holding steadfast to their union principles and still walking the line. It was reported that the sorting machine was having major malfunctions and that the outside technician brought in by Canada Post could not fix the equipment. This is good news considering the amount of post cards we are putting into the system each day. UPCE members attended the CLC Rally in the evening. Halifax picket lines also received a boost today when members of the Atlantic Council joined their lines in solidarity.
NEW BRUNSWICK
Fredericton - All was well on the line as CUPW executives picketed with the members.
Moncton & Saint John - All was well on the line today, it was a beautiful sunny day. Many UPCE members attended the rally in Moncton which is organized by the NB Federation of Labour and the CLC.
ST. JOHN'S
Picket line in St. John's went up late in the day. Resolve was strong. The six members in St. John's were so effective Canada Post was trying to find ways to deal with us! Canada Post is hurting here. And Canada Post said we would have no effect!
MONTREAL
Most of the Montreal members went to Ottawa for the big coalition rally on Parliament Hill and for the meeting of the Board of Directors at the Château Laurier. That left Montreal CP managers puzzled and worried as they could not find the picketers in the morning.
QUEBEC CITY
Members hit a new target in the morning, the Canada Post depot in Lévis, across the river from Québec City. That Canada Post facility is located on a very busy street, which gave the picketers great visibility and easy access to mail carriers. Members also went to the Randin building. Morale was very high in spite of the heavy snow.
NCR
Lines were strong and well supported again today. At noon the UPCE members joined thousands of others from the labour movement at a rally on Parliament Hill followed by a visit to the Canada Post Board of Directors meeting being held at the Chateau Laurier. Some UPCE members came from Kingston and several buses full of members came from Montreal to attend the rally on Parliament Hill and to be part of picket line at the Chateau Laurier. Among the picketers were John Gordon, PSAC National President, Denis Lemelin CUPW National President and Jean-Claude Parrot, CUPW former National President. This was a great morale booster and members were energized once again!
TORONTO
On a bright sunny morning in Ontario, Santa visited the lines at Stony Creek where everyone on the picket line received a candy cane after sitting on Santa's Lap. Santa brought messages of solidarity from PSAC members and locals in the Hamilton/Niagara Area. A donation of $2,100.00 was presented to UPCE Local 104. The lines remained strong at South Central, Gateway and Midland. New Picket lines went up at Station K (Eglinton and Yonge), lines remained up at Courtney Park and a line went up at Pearson Airport at noon. No mail went out to the town of Richmond Hill on December 3, 2008. Canada Post said in documents filed in court that a surprise picket line at Pearson Airport impacted on mail that was scheduled to board international flights. We have been advised by letter carriers in Toronto that the volume of mail going out at this time of year is down by over 40%.
LONDON
Kitchener Line was up from 8 am until noon. Lines were very effective and morale was good. In Windsor, the lines were up from 8am until the last truck leaves.
In London members set up the line up 3:30 a.m. and stayed there until 9 p.m. Flying Squad hit shopper's drug mart at Cherryhill and Southdale and found that many seniors were very supportive.
WINNIPEG
Canada Post is baffled! Where have all the picketers gone? Canada Post had additional security and managers on shift expecting a 3 a.m. start to the picketing. Apparently they were looking all morning until members received a call from Labour Relations. They took a stroll around the building to check things out; they said it didn't seem right to have no picketers. Even the trucks drivers were curious. They inched out of the bays looking around for someone and inched onto the road, they took their 2 minutes anyway! To switch things up a bit, members were having a Local meeting, picketing over the busy dinner hours and then off to the Let's Make Parliament Work Coalition Rally in the evening! They will come up with something else tomorrow to keep the employer guessing!
SASKATOON
Even in the today's cold weather, support continued to roll in from lots of sources. Two citizens brought coffee and words of encouragement to the members on the line. The times and locations of the picket line continued to change to raise awareness of the issues at other locations and to keep the employer on their toes.
REGINA
Yesterday was a great day and members were still riding high from it. They had a successful solidarity B.B.Q. Watching management up above watch as the friendly police officer talked for a moment and left us to continue on with his real business was a hoot! It was a quiet day on the line; some CUPW members walk with UPCE members for a while. Chili and buns were brought to the line. It was a wonderful way for the members to stay warm. One of the semi drivers told the members that he brought in only two monos (bins that carry the mail) and they loaded him up with 4 empty ones for weight. He told the members that they obviously are having an effect as he is driving the Christmas Special and normally it should be full. The members were curious to find out that a Global TV reporter and camera have been inside Canada Post for quite some time in the morning. Members remained strong!! Much welcomed donation from RWDSU in Saskatoon the UPCE group in Regina. Thanks!!
CALGARY
Seven picketers this morning at the main postal plant. Members set up a line at Harry Hays Plant at 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. with Area Council and Locals within the Harry Hays Building.
EDMONTON
Very cold, wintery day in Edmonton today. Spirits were high and the campfire was warm. Picket lines were up at the Sorting Plant from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. A letter to the Editor of the Edmonton Journal from a concerned citizen worried that there was no one answering the Canada Post help line. The members know their strike is continuing to have an effect. -17 today but tomorrow is supposed to be +5 degrees!
VANCOUVER
There were 4 picket lines: Vancouver, Richmond, Port Coquitlam. A group of members also went to the 'Make Parliament Work' rally in the evening.
On Friday, Janet May UPCE RVP and Renee Fredeen will visit the line in Vancouver. Members intend to receive her with music, song and pizza! A song has been written by the UPCE members in Vancouver and will be aired on Saturday.
VICTORIA
Victoria picketers held a strategy session with negotiating team member Rene Fredeen and NVP Janet May from Winnipeg. Various scenarios were discussed on how they can continue to impact CPC.
Date Modified : 2010/07/29
