Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Postal strike moves to Calgary and Edmonton for day six

Canada’s postal workers will stick to their strategy of limited rotating strikes for another day but escalation to a wider pressure tactic has been debated by their leaders.

The union announced late Tuesday that postal workers in Calgary and Edmonton would be off the job on Wednesday, in the sixth day of rotating strikes.

A spokesman for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says escalation was discussed Tuesday as has been every day, but CUPW will continue the less disruptive localized strikes for now.

“We’re continuing with the rolling 24-hour walkouts at this time and for the next 24 hours,” John Bail, CUPW’s national director for the Pacific region, said Tuesday evening.

“At this point in time we don’t see a need to deprive the public entirely of all their postal service.”

About 1,000 postal workers were on strike Tuesday in Moncton, N.B., and Victoria and earlier strikes were held in Winnipeg, Hamilton and Montreal.

Canada Post spokesman Jon Hamilton said strikes in Calgary and Edmonton are “completely unnecessary as CUPW has still not responded to our latest offer.”

“The people of Alberta should be asking why the union is stopping their mail service when the company is offering wage increases, job security, a defined benefit pension, seven weeks of vacation and more.”

Bail said Calgary and Edmonton were chosen because they are suffering from a chronic shortage of Canada Post workers.

There is a difference between Canada Post’s wage proposal and the union’s, but it’s not insurmountable, Bail said.

A bigger sticking point is the union’s position that Canada Post should convert more temporary jobs to permanent and more part-time jobs to full-time, Bail said.

Full Article
Source: Toronto Star 

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