Canada Post services suspended nationwide

[SHaKaL]

Most of them are uneducated overpaid incompetent lazy ass...
Now that the new law was deposed; i feel no sympathies for them at all.

I'm just kinda scared on how my packages will be when i get them... crushed, lost?

[surebet]

Well today was a fun day. Apparently, the verdict is that I'm probably the one who smashed, if it did happen at all. I was told I was trying to slander the workers because of the strike. I might have mentioned my opinion about monkeys having mounted a successful coup and taken over upper union management at some point before that though.

Am I glad I took note of the time and asked the rep her employee number. I was told somewhere in the 45 minute wait that to somehow make this call more fulfilling it was to be recorded for posterity.

The really stupid part is that I'm not asking for money or to have the mail man beat up, the photos will just have to be scanned, touched up and printed out again and I just want to make sure my future mail gets to me preferably unmolested.

Kinda glad they decided to plead insanity, I needed a new plaything.

[R1ghty]

So this whole time I've been against the union action.
My view point was that CP was losing revenue, and the union would not let new employees start at a lower wage (on top of mystery pension issues).

Turns out CP flipped the 'lockout' switch. Not the union as I previously thought.

I say fuck em both. Privatize the whole thing and then I can get a package from Toronto to KW in less than a week. Rates? what is it, like 8$ more for UPS or fedex?

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by R1ghty

I say fuck em both. Privatize the whole thing and then I can get a package from Toronto to KW in less than a week. Rates? what is it, like 8$ more for UPS or fedex?

No, more than double. It's normally less than $20 to send a rifle to Ontario from Saskatchewan. A while ago a couple customers requested UPS because of this impending strike, and it was $50 to send a rifle and $33 to send a pistol. And that's the cheapest option, UPS Ground, which I think takes 4-5 days.

[Ross]

the cheaper of 2 evils.

[surebet]

Originally Posted by Styrak

No, more than double. It's normally less than $20 to send a rifle to Ontario from Saskatchewan. A while ago a couple customers requested UPS because of this impending strike, and it was $50 to send a rifle and $33 to send a pistol. And that's the cheapest option, UPS Ground, which I think takes 4-5 days.

Balls, and here I thought the others were in the same price range. Looks like my next ebay shopping spree is going to hurt.

[whisper_kill]

Originally Posted by m102404

Whisper...just out of interest since I know you're a thinking man and I value your opinion.

What have you done during this strike as an alternate means to get other cheques/monies during the strike?

Are you going to do anything/something different to mitigate this type of business interruption from happening again?

(just brain picking for my own interests sake)

I really don't have any unique advice to give. I have all the systems in place that any other small business owner would. I accept credit cards, I utilize couriers... But an old fashioned cheque in the mail has been the norm. Of course, I tried contacting the clients who sent through these large cheques to see if they would cancel them and reissue them and I would have my courier come and grab it... But they said it would probably take equally as long. Will I change my internal process because of this? Most likely. What will it be? I don't know yet, but whatever it is, it needs to be as close to expense neutral as possible. Global payments tacks on too high a fee. My business account won't allow EMTs. Couriers can be pricey too. I guess I'm one of those instances where a postal service is a necessary evil.

On a side note, my god damn apple G5 just died. 8 years of solid service, and it decides to die now. Will the insanity ever end!

[m102404]

On our side we're scratching our heads with the same thing. There's invoices to go out...and cheques to take in. There's bills to be paid, etc...

The local businesses that we deal with (downtown, GTA, regional offices in VCV and CAL) don't present too many problems. If the incoming amounts are worth it, we'll courier over the invoice...and pickup via courier if needed. (couriers down here are doing stiff business)

The thing singled out is how manual/paper based our accounting practices are. Good for oversight and process auditing (and keeping people employed)....lousy at adopting to change quickly.

Perhaps, sadly IMHO, this strike did/will not go long enough to drive innovation and change. I suspect it'll be business as usual for most businesses in 3 weeks when the backlog clears.

I find the difference between electronic personal finances and "good old fashioned" inhouse business finances striking (haha).

[T_A_N_K]

Originally Posted by whisper_kill

My business account won't allow EMTs.

Wow, really no EMT's? I would talk to them about that. It's probably the most economical and speedy way to send money, local or worldwide.

[ToRN]

Tank, that there is probably why they don't allow it.

Interac gets the proceeds of the EMTs, a small percentage of that going back to the banks.

Depending on the volume and ammount the cheques are worth, the bank makes more money with paper transactions.

Charges for buying cheques, charges for cashing cheques, charges for NSF cheques, and charges for certifying cheques... the list goes on.

[surebet]

You know what CP never did for me? Ring the doorbell when I was in the shower. Actually, I lied, they always do that.

What the don't do is look at the phone number and call it. I almost missed a package today (pair of Magpul FPGs, fun little bastards) but the Fedex guy actually called before leaving. I managed to grab the call after very awkwardly trying to run out of the shower, 'cause usually ringing my doorbell and calling me means I should take this.

After almost 20 years of putting my phone number on my package info, they actually tried the bold move of trying to see how they could get my shit to me. This is the same driver that actually came back when I missed a package and called the support line to figure out my options. I'm really starting to like Fedex.

[Drayen]

I have 2 orders that i made back when it was still a rolling strike that i told the supplier to hold on to till this is resolved, and i still totally support what the union is trying to do.

Wages aren't even the big issue, what the union wanted to do is address the under staffing issue that's making their current employees work harder for longer hours that they rightly say is a safety hazard.

They realize how important the mail service is so the union decided on a rolling strike as a course of action. Then within a few days, CP decides to up the ante and LOCKOUT all of it's employees to force public opinion on it's side.
The sad part is that it seems to be working. Everyone is talking slag about the union and it's workers, but it was CP management that decided to totally shut down the mail. NOT THE WORKERS!
This back to work legislation that they have tabled is also another piss off... It wouldn't surprise me if the lockout was initiated on the assumption that that crown would force workers to go back after they arbitrate whatever they wanted down the union's throats. Just like what happened back in 97.

Then again i suppose that's what happens when you put an anti-union party like the conservatives in power(though, i guess the libs did it too). I'm really hoping Layton stalls this bill for as long as he can. Makes me proud that i voted NDP in my riding.

[Eeyore]

Originally Posted by Drayen

Makes me proud that i voted NDP in my riding.

Famous last words???

[Drayen]

http://www.midnorthmonitor.com/Artic...aspx?e=3180416
"He said CUPW has three main demands: first, they want Canada Post to drop any plans to create a "short-term disability plan" to replace sick leave and remove the employees' right to grieve. He said that system would be administered by a third party that could simply disagree with a doctor's recommendation and deny leave or benefits, giving Canada Post through that private company "total control."

Second, the employer needs to drop plans to establish a two-tier benefits system, in other words, giving new hires less money, fewer benefits and reduced job security.

Third, they need to change their tack on "modernization methods" that are resulting in unsafe conditions for letter carriers. He said mail carriers were once expected to carry one bundle of mail in one hand with a bag on their hip. They are now expected to carry three stacks on their forearm with the same sack still on their hip. This makes it difficult to see, and is an ergonomic nightmare, according to the union boss"

how would you feel if your company was trying to force this down your throat and you COULD do something about it because you're lucky enough to be unionized?

[Shirley]

Originally Posted by surebet

You know what CP never did for me? Ring the doorbell when I was in the shower. Actually, I lied, they always do that.

What the don't do is look at the phone number and call it. I almost missed a package today (pair of Magpul FPGs, fun little bastards) but the Fedex guy actually called before leaving. I managed to grab the call after very awkwardly trying to run out of the shower, 'cause usually ringing my doorbell and calling me means I should take this.

After almost 20 years of putting my phone number on my package info, they actually tried the bold move of trying to see how they could get my shit to me. This is the same driver that actually came back when I missed a package and called the support line to figure out my options. I'm really starting to like Fedex.

LOL Same shit hgappened to me when I was in the shower too.
Thank god I didn't slip down 40 fleights of stairs.
I'm starting to like fedex too.