Hate to admit it, but I miss Canada Post

[sparky604]

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Yeah I wasn't expecting a lock-out. Ordered from Juicy Clear over a week ago, and since I have no nic juice left, I actually bought my first pack of cigarettes since i started vaping. Heh, so much for will power.

Whereabouts in Canada are you? If anyone's local to you I'm sure they'd be up for helping you out with juice. Lots of pay-it-forward type stuff goes on behind the scenes. I remember how angry I was when my PV ran out of batteries and I bought cigarettes instead, and so do others here I bet. Must be even worse to have a working PV and no liquid. We'll help you out if we can.

 

[heXy]

Nic isn't my issue. I'm sitting on quite a bit actually lol.

Anthrox, if you're anywhere around the GTA, I have 12mg and 18mg (mostly tobacco flavours) that can easily be parted with.

 

[Nascar_Perry]

I have to totally agree with this. I have had bad experiences with many couriers. If I order goods from the USA an ask for USPS for shipment, it comes by Canada Post with no nasty surprises. Whereas if I have to select FedEX or WORST UPS.... I get left with a NASTY Taxes and Duty charge I have to pay UPS or FedEX at the door to even get my package.... once this was a 75.00 Duty charge. :O

I also can't wait for Canada Post to restore service.... my package from eVapers is currently sitting in the Peterborough Post Office lol. So I have to wait till they go back to work to receive it

One thing I have realized during this strike is Canada Post’s service isn’t that bad.

First there is the price. Compared to the couriers their service is priced as a steal. Canada post is about ½ the price with quicker service to major locations. As for rural locations that so many of you live in, forget the couriers, they are not interested. The surcharges and the length of time for delivery are absurd. A $19 Canada Post shipment to a very remote location is better than $40 and double the time from the cheapest of them.

Then we all bash Canada Post for their poor customer service. Well we had to cut our courier COD service because it turned out they were giving away our orders for free! Their correct COD form filled out, with a big COD on the front of the package, as filled out by their own agent, but still they handed our goods out for just a signature.

Today I had a shipment come in by a courier. They will not deliver to our box, so we had it shipped to our warehouse. Coming during the day, with the location staffed at night, there was no one to accept the package. Fair enough, they even called to make alternative arrangements. My suggestion was to hold the package at their location for pickup, as I can’t guarantee any drop-off location will have someone there 9-5. Well it turns of they are holding the package in a city 100km away, rather than their location in the city that is 10km from us. Yup, another problem to solve we don’t need.

I look forward to Canada Post restoring service (after the workers get a fair deal of course). I hate to admit it, but they serve us well and I do miss them already.

 

[Anthrox]

Nic isn't my issue. I'm sitting on quite a bit actually lol.

Anthrox, if you're anywhere around the GTA, I have 12mg and 18mg (mostly tobacco flavours) that can easily be parted with.

Well, I spent a bunch of money on those juicy clear bottles so I don't really have any sort of payment for you. Although if you don't like them and want to get rid of them, I'd happily take them off your hands, I live in Etobicoke. PM me if you would like to help me out!

 

[Danesnpits]

Anyone here if they have been ordered to go back to work monday? I have precious cargo to be sent to Alberta and it's just sitting in its box!

 

[rachelcoffe]

Anyone here if they have been ordered to go back to work monday? I have precious cargo to be sent to Alberta and it's just sitting in its box!

As soon as there's some news hon...you'll know it. Just remember that it's Canada Post - not the union - that is directly preventing postal workers from delivering your mail to you. The lockout initiated by the corporation is responsible for this escalated crisis...not the legal, limited rolling strikes that went before.

An excerpt below from the latest CBC story on this:

---

The union has been emphasizing working conditions and safety issues, as well as decrying the corporation's push to have new employees receive substantially inferior wages and pensions. CUPW also says Canada Post turned a profit in each of the last 16 years.

NDP Leader Jack Layton has already weighed in on the labour dispute and the potential legislation the House of Commons might have to deal with next week.

"When it comes to the legislation itself, we'll read it. We don't support the notion of forcing workers back to work, especially when it's the government that has shut the doors of their workplace," he said Sunday at the party's convention in Vancouver.

"What I believe the prime minister should do is open the doors to Canada Post. I don't think it's acceptable that a prime minister is allowing a Crown corporation that he controls to shut the doors of our postal service."

---

In any case...I'm sure it'll all be worked out soon honey. Try to enjoy some happy vaping in the meantime. That's what I'm going to do. Time to fill this carto with 20mg Root Beer!

 

[CdnBison]

Yeah,I can't wait either.
As luck would (sort of) have it, though, the packagefrom CdnVapor I was waiting on - the one sitting in the Winnipeg depot, that would have been delivered the next afternoon had the lock out not been called - isn't as desperately needed now. I was going to gift my brother-in-law an Echo, but he won't be making the trip to Vegas, so I would have had to ship it regardless.

Would have been nice to get some of the new flavors to try (and let the b-i-l sample, too) but I can wait until I get back, I guess. Maybe my GH1 order will be here by then, too!

 

[heXy]

I'm anxious too... My stuff's been sitting in Mississauga for well over a week. Still can't figure out why it wasn't shipped before all this nonsense...

Poor/slow business as per usual with CP...

 

[Can_supplier]

After 9 days of rotating strikes, CP has already lost the potential to make any profits this year. All it took was 9 days, and yet people are so quick to paint this image of them drowning in money and sucking their employees dry. There’s two sides to this, and neither one is “right.” That’s why they have negotiations… because a compromise is almost always the most appropriate solution.

I don't buy they lost a year's profit in 9 days. That would put their margin a 2% if they had zero revenue.

But lets run with CP's story. If they lost all their profit in 9 days, when they were only out ad mail, how much will they be down for the days they locked the Union out shutting down every source of revenue they have?

That 'there story is what some folks call shootin' yer self in the foot.

 

[heXy]

As long as you pay MORE money for the same crap service with other couriers, they have us by the throats. They can do what they want, without much real impact long term. If this was a smaller courier company, it would probably be out of business (in Canada anyway)

 

[IanK1968]

Ottawa gives notice legislation to end postal strike is imminent

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government gave notice mid-afternoon that it would table legislation Wednesday night to ensure “the mail is delivered,” according to Labour Minister Lisa Raitt.

Wednesday night? which means they have 24 hours to return thats thursday night. so if your lucky you will get mail friday, if not you have to wait til monday. Oye Vey!

 

[paullyn]

I don't buy they lost a year's profit in 9 days. That would put their margin a 2% if they had zero revenue.

But lets run with CP's story. If they lost all their profit in 9 days, when they were only out ad mail, how much will they be down for the days they locked the Union out shutting down every source of revenue they have?

That 'there story is what some folks call shootin' yer self in the foot.

Well I would think Mother's Day, Father's day and Christmas time is when they make the most profit so to shut down the week before Father's Day? There must be some reason why they didn't wait until Friday to lock them out. They are saving $10,000,000 a day in wages.

 

[CanadaLady]

As long as you pay MORE money for the same crap service with other couriers, they have us by the throats. They can do what they want, without much real impact long term. If this was a smaller courier company, it would probably be out of business (in Canada anyway)

That is just it, it is not a business per say. What do couriers make off the hop when they get hired on with UPS/Purolator/Fed-Ex? I do believe CP HAS to be loosing money on a grand scale. I hear the defense of the union is that they were kicked out and this was CP's idea. Was it CP's idea? Who's idea was it to start striking? I know this, had I locked my doors at any given time for a week, I would have been a dead duck. Out of business!

There is a big difference between the couriers and CP. On the other hand I will back my mail postal workers here in town. They are all just trying to make a living, and most of them are very good people and do a good job. My father was a union man, BACK in the day, but even he said, the unions were getting out of hand on wages and demands for new workers, benefits, and guaranteed jobs. The job he had here in town is NO longer. OUT Of business, closed it's doors. There is NO way someone should walk in off the street to sort wood, mail, or garbage and make $20 or more per hour. I am old school and believe people should climb up to that wage like that with reliability, customer service, hard work and quality.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents for what it is worth.

 

[cactusgirl]

I, personally, don't have a problem paying them $20 or more to do the job that they do, especially given the fact that they are expected to show up to work whether it's a beautiful sunny morning OR raining, sleeting, snowing, storming. If you want someone to do the job and do it well, show up to work everyday despite the weather and be reliable and trustworthy employee, you need to PAY them well!

The only thing that I don't agree with is 'banked' sick days. They should be given a finite number of sick days per year but at the end of year, if they haven't used them (or needed them), they should be dissovable. The problem with 'banked' sick days is that if they are accumulated over a number of years and the individual decides to become 'sick' in order to use up their sick days just prior to retirement, there is basically a position that needs to be filled by a 'temporary' employee who won't necessarily be as reliable or loyal as a permanent employee. Multiply this scenario by several thousand employees and you're left with a workforce predominantly made up of 'temporary employees' for a given time period which results in lower production, sub-par service standards and irate customers.

 

[rolandpibb]

The only thing that I don't agree with is 'banked' sick days. They should be given a finite number of sick days per year but at the end of year, if they haven't used them (or needed them), they should be dissovable. The problem with 'banked' sick days is that if they are accumulated over a number of years and the individual decides to become 'sick' in order to use up their sick days just prior to retirement, there is basically a position that needs to be filled by a 'temporary' employee who won't necessarily be as reliable or loyal as a permanent employee. Multiply this scenario by several thousand employees and you're left with a workforce predominantly made up of 'temporary employees' for a given time period which results in lower production, sub-par service standards and irate customers.

Agreed.

I love how it's the government that has locked it's employees out, and now it's a different arm of the same government that's creating the back to work legislation

 

[CanadaLady]

I am old school.. Rain, snow, or sleet, I must go to work. I think most people have to go to work no matter what the weather is. AND when the weather is that bad, the mail trucks are NOT running. There are many jobs that have people out in horrible weather working. I feel people need to work for their money.... reliability, good work ethics, and hard workers are hard to come by these days. The unions have shaped the environment to what it is today. Management is trying to cut corners every way they can with temp workers, no benefits etc. On the other side, Management makes a killing as well. Both sides need revamping.
For me it is like this....... I need a part for my toilet, OH OH, the plumbing store is closed because of a dispute? It all doesn't make sense. LOL. I can't imagine some of the things that people have sitting in limbo? Maybe much needed prescriptions? Parts for vehicles? Etc...

K.......... I really am done venting.. LOL Really I am... *smile*

 

[CanadaLady]

The only thing that I don't agree with is 'banked' sick days. They should be given a finite number of sick days per year but at the end of year, if they haven't used them (or needed them), they should be dissovable.

Ooopsy.... at the end of the year, everyone will be sick then, to use up their sick days. Everywhere.. NOT just postal workers people are taking advantage of the system.. It is human nature.

K really done. Need to work out and get my work done. Ta ta for now!

 

[cactusgirl]

Ooopsy.... at the end of the year, everyone will be sick then, to use up their sick days. Everywhere.. NOT just postal workers people are taking advantage of the system.. It is human nature.

Well if it happens, it happens...at least then CP will be prepared by having an onslaught of their 'temporary' employees ready and able to fill in for a few days at the end of the year rather than the previous scenario.

 

[Eileithia]

Personally I think most unions are a waste of time and money on everyone's part. Years ago they made sense when workers weren't protected by labour laws, being forced into horrid dangerous working conditions for little to no compensation. Unions gave those workers a way to "fight the man". Now Unions are another bill you have to pay, and I think honestly do more harm than good. They promote lazy work environments with their guaranteed jobs. It's already damn near impossible for any business to fire a crappy worker without a union and not be sued by the employee if they've passed the probation period.

I honestly believe if you have a huge problem with the way you're being treated as an employee you have 2 options.

1) Bring it up with the employer and see if they will change their practices
2) Find another job

Employers need to balance paying the minimum they can get away with to keep the type of employee they need. Employees need to understand they cant expect to earn a decent wadge and not be expected to do the work required.

There's a huge difference between a minimum wadge employee and a salaried / high-rate hourly employee. They attract different types of people. If you can live with very high turn-over in your employee base you pay minimum wadge and offer a job that requires very minimal training.

If employers have a position that takes 3-6 months to learn before the person is self sufficient, they need to pay enough to keep that employee long enough to make it worth their while.

It's a balancing act every employer needs to do, and I don't fault CP for trying to cut down on mis-use of the current system. If the employees have such a huge problem with any proposed changes, then they should find another place to work. I think they'll find the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence and they had a pretty good thing going for them.

 

[lelly]

CTV Calgary- Canada Post, union to meet ahead of back-to-work bill - CTV News

The federal government is planning to introduce back-to-work legislation Monday or Tuesday, which will force the unionized employees to return to their jobs while an arbitrator studies the standoff before imposing a ruling.

Don Martin, host of CTV's Power Play, said he has been told by sources that the bill will be tabled by the Conservatives at 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

Looks like we will know more tomorrow