The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has led by example in workers' campaigns against technological change, contracting out and privatization. They fought back-to-work legislation and conducted early campaigns for women's and equity-seeking groups' rights. The union and its members have been leaders in struggles for social and economic justice.
That's why four separate rank-and-file job actions by postal workers in Alberta merit close attention. Is CUPW undergoing a renewed wave of rank-and-file activism that signals a potential new era of labour militancy for Canadian workers? Or is this simply a one-time incident?
RANK-AND-FILE ACTIONS IN ALBERTA
On November 15, 2007, as Lethbridge police forcible escorted a local CUPW leader from the mail processing plant, all of the workers stopped work and followed him out the door on a spontaneous wildcat strike. On February 15, 2008, over 100 letter carriers at the Delton Postal Depot in Edmonton walked off the job. Three days later letter carriers, postal clerks, rural and suburban mail carriers (RSMC) and contractors with Canada Post in Grande Prairie held a solidarity breakfast instead of reporting to work.
In Fort McMurray, 40 letter carriers walked off the job for two days beginning on February 22, 2008.Understaffing linked to management abuse use of forced overtime was the cause of the discontent. According to Dave Condon, President of the Medicine Hat CUPW Local, "the collective agreement allows compulsory overtime in emergency situations but it is supposed to be used rarely when other means have been exhausted."
Brian Henderson, President of the Edmonton CUPW Local, stresses that it is not just letter carriers who are angry about management practices on staffing. "For members who work in the plant, there are issues of section crossing, elimination of day shift provisions, lack of rotation and rotation order not being followed," he said. According to Ramon Antipan, Edmonton Vice-President, "Canada Post has been steadily cutting down on positions, which is forcing workers to do more. Constant changes in work schedules, the number of positions and required work time has disrupted workers' family and social life." Predictably, Canada Post has responded to the workers' anger and frustration by issuing suspensions and threats of dismissal to those who take direct action.
WHAT IS DRIVING THE ALBERTA WALK-OUTS?
Although anger and frustration with management's refusal to recognize and deal with workers' concerns is at the heart of the job actions, there is also a hint that the union itself may be contributing to workers' frustration.
"Over the past two collective agreements there has been an increase in dissatisfaction for what is perceived as concession bargaining by the National Union" according to Antipan. "I believe members think the union has not been militant enough in pursuit of better collective agreements that reflect the reality of postal workers."
He and Dave Condon both worry about a current reliance on collaborative actions with the employer to solve problems. Condon feels there "is an over-reliance on the grievance procedure and joint committees and consultations." Problems don't seem to be resolved, but simply reappear in a new form.
CUPW AT THE CROSSROADS
Antipan believes that job actions will continue unless the employer radically changes its course of action. "The members are tired of being pushed to the limits," he says. However, Condon strongly believes that the support of local leadership will not be enough to sustain the struggle. "If leadership simply fulfills its obligations as "peacemaker" by relying on the grievance process, it will be difficult to maintain or spread militancy."
It has been ten years since the last postal strike, the longest period of "labour peace" in CUPW history. A union which has defined itself by its internal democracy and rank-and-file militancy for over 40 years may be showing signs of the loss of a vitality that has sustained its radicalism for generations of workers and leaders.The quietness with which the union has settled its recent agreements without conflict seems to mirror a prevailing mood of futility within the labour in Canada over its ability to deal with the aggressive challenges of employers and governments in the globalized economy.
Ultimately, CUPW must decide whether rank-and-file militancy and action is still its core strength. If the national leadership believe Edmonton Local President Brian Henderson when he says "the only action the employer understands is when the members themselves take action," then the union will need to find ways to support and encourage workers' direct actions - regardless of their legality.
| TIME LINE - Canadian Postal Worker Militancy A brief overview of the history of postal workers' job actions illustrates a long tradition of militancy 1918 - First "illegal" postal strike wins 44-hour week |
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