Screw the Public by Canada Post

Rotating strikes by its workers, were inconvenient to Canada Post. According to them, it didn’t allow for negotiations, or for a chance at settlement.   Of course, it was also annoying to the General Public, and to the many business interests that use ( and rely on ) the Postal service.

However, it was a one day inconvenience, until now.

Canada Post in its infinite wisdom has gone and made the strike National, by locking out its employees.  So no mail delivery now, anywhere, until a settlement is reached, or Canada Post is sold off.

After all, it is more important to ORDER WORKERS back to WORK if they are working for a private entity, like Air Canada, than if they work for the Crown Corporation, Canada Post.

Besides, it is also more important to screw those 60% of voters who didn’t support Herr Harper in the last election. You know, people like you and me, and all those small little business people, who got nada in Harper’s grand economic scheme, unless you were a buddy or big time contributor to his party.

Instead of talking, Canada Post has refused to meet, to discuss the issues with its employees. Like no wonder nothing got settled, but hey, they did tell their employees that they were going to cut their working hours down by 2/5 ths.  You know, go from 5 day mail delivery to just three per week.

And now they lock them out, under the bullshit reason of trying to force the Union to the bargaining table.

I guess seeing as how Harper was able to con 40% of the people with his lies, his deceit, his utter bullshit, they are now trying to convince the rest of us, how he is the only hope for Canada’s future.  You know, like selling off and dismantling a profit making Crown Corporation like Canada Post.

What is next, letting private enterprise run our Prisons?

Darn No Mail Today

So the Postal Strike is in full swing, or should I say the Rolling Strike is.

Like okay, we get no mail today, but tomorrow, all is back to normal. Sure, things might be backlogged a little, so add another day before the mail gets through. Like that hurts me really bad… NOT!

I don’t understand Rolling Strikes,other than perhaps some PR value, but in all honesty, it really isn’t such a big deal. Even for those businesses that rely on Canada Post, its an inconvenience at worst, not something that is going to bankrupt them.  IF it does, then boy they weren’t long for the world to begin with.

And where is our Stevie Boy?

Well he’s bringing down his budget, and that is going to be interesting. As for the strike, haven’t seen a thing from the Government about it, so I suppose that means no plans afoot on ending the rolling strikes. Course, eventually it’ll escalade, and then who knows.

But until then, well, I can live a day without bills, flyers, or even a cheque or two. Not like it won’t ever arrive, so instead of getting them today, it’ll be tomorrow or Thursday.   I can live with that.

Yet, with all the dark headlines, the reminders of which city will be hit next, you would think that both the Government & Union would also use this opportunity to disclose just what is it, that is keeping them from reaching an agreement.

Course it would be logical to have the Media tell us what both sides are seeking, in clear precise terms, but then, that would be logical, right? Not our Media, they are more interested in creating panic, fear, and in exploiting hardships, than in actually relating the facts, or truth of a story.

Now IF the Media Workers were to go on strike, I’d enjoy that, and hope IT NEVER GOT SETTLED.  lol

Life to Get Interesting

Back in the days, it was letters to the editor, that brought citizen complaints to the attention of others. Today we live in a remarkable world, where we have the Internet. Not always a safe place, not always a nice place, but despite all that, it is a place where one can tilt at windmills, and raise their voices.

Time I started doing that, because you know, it is embedded in my heritage, and in how I was raised.  Simply put, it is also the right thing to do.

Staying silent, or meekly accepting things, because it is too hard to ‘Fight City Hall’ just won’t cut it. Not if one truly believes in their values, their principles. You can’t always compromise, though one tries, but when the other side is unwilling to even listen, then perhaps it is time they were made to listen?

The Internet helps in that, and this is going to be my crusade.

Mom is 92, and with her failing health, comes medical crisises, and yet many who are entrusted to look after sick people, are only concerned with one thing. HOW MUCH MONEY THEY CAN GET and to hell with the patient.

THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME.

Record Low Turnout

So Gordon Campbell has won, Carol James has lost, but you know, the real loser here, is US.

Yeah, as it seems British Colombians are pretty lazy folk, and couldn’t be bothered to get their fat asses up off the couch, and actually VOTE in the election. I can hear it now, all those who have whined about Campbell & the Liberals, whining now for the next four years or so, because the Liberals did this or did that.

Truth is, they got what they asked for. They made a real difference, by staying home. They elected the same old crap.

Now I was talking with the wife, David, and he was saying it was a pretty boring campaign, and truth is, he is right. It really was a nothing campaign, nothing to get the blood boiling, or the juices flowing to go out and scream. But why should that matter?

It isn’t like we have to go out and stand in line with our ID for hours, and do it every month or so. We have to do it once a year, and so what if it takes an hour or two? I mean consider what we are deciding on, here.

We determine, for the next four years, the future of our Province, or Country. We are saying how we want these elected folk to deal with the Economy, with National Health, with our Resources, with Education and a host of other things. I mean come on, get real. That is what EVERY ELECTION IS ABOUT.

So we don’t like the Liberals or the NDP?

Then if you really want to shake things up, VOTE FOR A DIFFERENT PARTY!

There were more than 2 parties running, and staying at home did nothing to help send any message to these elected people, or to the two political parties we have here. Now, if we had of voted for the Conservatives or the Greens, or even an Independent, we might have sent a far more powerful message, than what we did tell them.

We told Campbell & James, that we basically don’t give a shit, about what they do. We are too busy watching television, or stuffing our faces, so why should they bother to even talk to us? Think about it, we are so selfish, we have put our own interests ahead of not just our kids, but of our neighbors. We have said, in a very loud voice, that WE DON’T CARE, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

So now we get what we deserve, corruption, corporate elitism, union greed, strikes, and oh yeah, those dirty hospitals won’t be any cleaner in four years, and classrooms will remain crowded, and crown corporation execs will continue to get rich, off our money. The Olympics will continue to be a cash cow for everyone, but the taxpayer, and so yep, we are getting what we deserved.

I don’t like Campbell, or James, but I didn’t stay home. Unfortunately too many did, so now we are faced with a more entrenched two party system, that only means more division, more disparage between labor and management. How is that a good thing?

That is what we did, because the majority were simply too lazy.

Collective Bargaining Dead Under Harper

Both GM & CAW (Canadian Auto Workers) reached an accord, and now, the Harper Regime, along with Ontario, wants that agreement, to be redone. They don’t like it, because GM is continuing to bleed cash. They insist it be done, or no public cash, which on the surface, sounds like they give a damn about how OUR money is being used.   NOT!

Lewenza said the governments want the union to make concessions similar to those they gave Chrysler. Without a new deal, Lewenza said, GM Canada won’t be eligible for aid from the federal and provincial governments. ( source – CBC News )

Personally I do not believe that one red cent of my money should go to the Auto Makers like GM or Chrysler. Frankly, they mismanaged their own affairs, and now we have to spend billions to keep them afloat, with no guarantees it will save ONE SINGLE JOB.  That isn’t looking after my money, now is it?

Then there is the whole meddling aspect here. If they want certain things, before giving out the cash, why don’t they just tell the parties that? Instead, it seems like both McQuinty & Harper are pushing for a huge concession, from one side, but are making GM the heavy, which is simply, playing politics.  Not what you should expect, in desperate times, is it?

And what concessions are being asked of the Corporate Executives? ANY?

Whether you agree or disagree, that the Union is greedy, that the wages are too high, that the benefits are too much, too expensive, should the burden not lay on all involved parties, not just the one side? I am no fan of Unions, but their purpose was to protect workers. Seems, that right now, we are going to need that protection, as business continues to reap its own rewards, while screwing the worker, in order to keep their own perks.

Has the Board of GM lost any salaries? Have they had to sell off their corporate jets? How about their travelling, they still booking those fancy suites, while demanding labor pay for its own health care plan premiums?

And is the Government not responsible for insuring we get value for our buck? Are they demanding better production, better quality of goods, and more effecient goods? Or are they just wanting lower wages, lower employee benefits?

DOESN’T SOUND FAIR TO ME.