By Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative/Penticton Herald

There wasn香蕉视频直播檛 any Christmas holiday spirit on the picket line in Penticton Monday morning as striking Canada Post workers voiced their displeasure and anger at being forced back to work on Tuesday.

With the first big snow dump of winter falling to the ground, the striking workers were deeply disappointed their month-long strike was coming to an end after the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered a return-to-work decision over the weekend.

This complied with a demand on Thursday by federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon, who directed the board to order 55,000 striking workers back to work if a deal could not be reached.

The Crown corporation said Sunday afternoon that employees would be back on the job Tuesday after CIRB ruled there had been an impasse in bargaining.

Debbie Attrill, president of Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 796 in Penticton, said the membership is frustrated, angry and incredulous that they香蕉视频直播檙e being forced to return to work without a negotiated settlement.

香蕉视频直播淲e are very disheartened and angry,香蕉视频直播� said Attrill, who was joined by more than a dozen union members on Monday at the Canada Post outlet located on Industrial Avenue W. in Penticton. 香蕉视频直播淲e just found out about the Industrial Labour Board decision this morning. We didn香蕉视频直播檛 know exactly what that meant because no one has seen the final written notice.

香蕉视频直播淚 feel like it香蕉视频直播檚 a violation of our rights. We香蕉视频直播檙e being forced to go back to work against our will and that香蕉视频直播檚 not right. There hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been any kind of negotiated settlement and they香蕉视频直播檙e making us do what we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to do without going back to (negotiations).香蕉视频直播�

The suggestion the government was ordering unionized workers back to try and salvage goodwill from Canadians who are upset the strike with the Christmas holidays only days away isn香蕉视频直播檛 legitimate, said Attrill.

香蕉视频直播淐hristmas season is basically over,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淩eally, what are we going to be able to do in the next few days to change things? It香蕉视频直播檚 just an excuse to force us back to work.香蕉视频直播�

The 100 members of Local 796 who have been without a paycheque for five weeks are almost unanimously upset and angry they香蕉视频直播檙e being forced to return to work without a negotiated new contract, she said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e all been out here on the picket line for five weeks without a paycheque and there香蕉视频直播檚 no guarantees they香蕉视频直播檙e going to make an agreement in the next little bit,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a really good chance we香蕉视频直播檙e going to have to go through this all over again.

香蕉视频直播淓veryone on the picket line feels a little bit differently, but for the most part, I think there香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of collective anger.香蕉视频直播�

This is her third time on strike after 17 years of service with Canada Post and it香蕉视频直播檚 infuriating she香蕉视频直播檚 never returned to work after the federal government sat down and negotiated a fair contract, said Attrill.

香蕉视频直播淭he first two times we were locked out and now this forcing us back,香蕉视频直播� she said.

The union香蕉视频直播檚 demands are not unreasonable as they want a fair wage, decent pension and pay increases that at least match the growing cost of inflation, said Attrill.

香蕉视频直播淚t breaks my heart, when I have people (fellow union members) coming to me telling me 香蕉视频直播業 really need dental work, but I just can香蕉视频直播檛 use my benefits because I just can香蕉视频直播檛 pay my rent香蕉视频直播�, 香蕉视频直播業 need food and what I have left is just not covering that,香蕉视频直播澫憬妒悠抵辈�� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e need a livable wage. If you look at the wages of other people in our industry, they make far more than we do.香蕉视频直播�

Even more maddening is that senior managers make outlandish wages and Canada Post remains a top-heavy organization with far too many managers, while front-line staff struggle to make ends meet, she said.

Doug Ettinger, president and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Post, makes big bucks, while front-line workers who have more and more demands put on them with each passing year struggle to get by, she said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檒l never really know what he makes,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we do know he gets $450,000 as a base wage, plus his benefits, plus he also sits on the board for Purolator, so he also gets paid from them,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know the exact amount, but it香蕉视频直播檚 a lot.

香蕉视频直播淥n top of that, we have 20 vice presidents. What company with 55,000 employees, needs 20 vice presidents? It香蕉视频直播檚 ridiculous. We香蕉视频直播檙e so top-heavy, it香蕉视频直播檚 ridiculous.香蕉视频直播�

From being in contact with other CUPW local presidents, it香蕉视频直播檚 been confirmed there is one supervisor for every 10 front-line workers at Canada Post, she said.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 just ridiculous,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭his office right here beside us used to be managed by one man and his secretary and we had twice as many employees at that time than we do now.

香蕉视频直播淲e had way more routes, because mail volume was way up, and now we have four, full-time supervisors. It香蕉视频直播檚 ridiculous.香蕉视频直播�

The blame for the current labour situation can be shared by the federal government, but mostly by Ettinger and senior management at Canada Post, who refuse to bargain in good faith, she said.

香蕉视频直播淢ost of the blame lies with Mr. Ettinger as we do fall under his leadership and what he香蕉视频直播檚 done to the employees, the people that I work with and represent, is disgusting,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭he federal government is also to blame. This is supposed to be a free country and we have constitutional rights such as the right to strike, yet again they香蕉视频直播檝e ordered us back to work.香蕉视频直播�

Joining a union, paying union dues and then having your right to strike taken away and being forced back to work by the government is not right, said Attrill.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e taking away our right to fight for what we believe in and what we think is right,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Being forced back to work is not going to create a good atmosphere for her union brothers and sisters, especially after not earning any pay for five weeks on the picket line, she said.

香蕉视频直播淩ight now, we香蕉视频直播檙e just sort of taking the temperature of the members,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 want to just hear what each of them feels about what香蕉视频直播檚 happened and what they think we should do.

香蕉视频直播淯ltimately, that香蕉视频直播檚 what a union is. It香蕉视频直播檚 about everybody sticking together and making decisions that are best for all of us.香蕉视频直播�

The 55,000 union members deserve pay hikes that allow them to live a decent quality of life and this labour dispute won香蕉视频直播檛 be resolved until Canada Post leadership makes a fair offer, said Attrill.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e just asking for pay increases that keep up with the price of living, at a bare minimum,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been continually going backwards. Through Covid, we took a deal thinking we would get the right to actually get a negotiated collective agreement this time.

香蕉视频直播淪o we extended the contract for three years and agreed to two per cent the first two years and last year we got nothing, so we香蕉视频直播檝e had four per cent over three years and the cost of living has gone up significantly over that time. We don香蕉视频直播檛 want to go backwards any more.香蕉视频直播�

Union members do feel bad about the interruption of service due to the labour dispute a month before Christmas, but the timing isn香蕉视频直播檛 the union香蕉视频直播檚 fault, she said.

香蕉视频直播淎t the same time, we hope people realize our workers have families and have to eat too and that香蕉视频直播檚 12 months of the year. We have rent to pay, food to buy, car insurance just like everyone else.香蕉视频直播�