This week @ rabble.ca: The roots of the Canada Post labour dispute

Details: Published on Monday, 11 July 2016 15:00; Written by editor

07 Jul 2016

Hey rabble readers!

If you don't contribute to rabble, now is the time to help out. It's our 15-year anniversary and we've never had such great rewards to give away, like Lawrence Hill's book The Illegal, Michael Moore's new documentary Where to Invade Next and of course, our special anniversary edition of the Best of rabble.

This week, Canada Post issued a 72-hour lockout notice to 50,000 posties, as bargaining disagreements between the Crown corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) continued to make headlines. While pay equity and pensions are front of mind during this round of bargaining, the Canada Post labour dispute has roots that stretch back years. Learn more about the issues driving the dispute to get context on recent developments, in our continuing coverage.

Our... fundraiser is moving along nicely. But we still need just about 150 new $15/month supporters to make ends meet. Take 60 seconds out of your day to help us identify new rabble supporters by filling out our easy-to-use form right here.

This week's top news

The electoral reform committee wants to hear from you! Kind of...
The all-party committee decided against allotting time to Twitter questions, but has encouraged Canadians to engage using the hashtags #Q #ERRE.
By Sophia Reuss

Four issues driving the CUPW and Canada Post negotiations
While pay equity and pensions are front of mind during this round of bargaining, the Canada Post labour dispute has roots that stretch back years.
By H.G. Watson

B.C. leads the way in trans health, but change is slow
Last year B.C. made a progressive decision to create a province-wide system for transgender health care, but progress has been slow to take place.
By Emily Blake

Saskatchewan schools blindsided by education funding cuts
The $2.2 billion budget allocates less money than the previous year to 13 of 28 schools with nearly $2.1 million trimmed from one of the schools.
By Teuila Fuatai

Trans health care in Canada: A federal responsibility?
In part two of this two-part feature, Laura Brightwell examines the existing health-care provisions for trans Canadians and asks what needs to change.
By Laura Brightwell

This week's top blogs

New funding models could cut 670 unionized jobs at York University
Graduate assistantships at York University are at risk, leading to concerns about benefits including health coverage.
By Ryan Moore

Dear Canadian media: Your racism is showing
Addressing the elephant in Canada's newsroom -- and, let's be clear, it's white.
By Phillip Dwight Morgan

Black Lives Matter more than a police float
Police need to earn access to community events. Until then, the community gets a say on their presence.
By Nora Loreto

Reconciliation looks like divestment
Jaydene Lavallie took the opportunity at her graduation from Wilfrid Laurier university to share a message about reconciliation and divestment from fossil fuels.
By Jaydene Lavallie

Canada Post's problems are driven by the neoliberal assault on public services
Canada Post is run not as a public service for the public interest but as a corporation that seeks to make a profit, which is not the purpose of a public service.
By Michael Laxer

This week's top columns

Let's not mix xenophobia with legitimate resistance to corporate trade deals
With Neanderthal wall-builders lurking, it may be easier for the Trudeau government to convince Canadians to accept badly flawed trade deals as part of living in an open, modern world.
By Linda McQuaig

What are the chances of a Canadian Trump?
Could a demagogue like Trump, arousing xenophobic passions, emerge in Canada? No. Marc Zwelling looks at the markers in public opinion to explain why.
By Marc Zwelling

A guide to keeping the digital juice alive on vacation
When we head out on vacation with our smartphones, tablets, cameras and radios we find recharging them daily more challenging than keeping deer flies at bay. Here's advice about how to cope.
By Wayne MacPhail

Trudeau, Obama and neighbourly love
Neighbourly love was on display when U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the Canadian Parliament last week. But where is it in the international trade agreements the U.S. is selling?
By Duncan Cameron

We can finally put an end to data caps -- but will the CRTC listen?
The CRTC recently announced a public consultation that represents the best chance in decades to finally give Canadians relief from oppressive data caps.
By David Christopher, Digital Freedom Update

MORE FROM...
Naomi Klein, Linda McQuaig, Rick Salutin, Duncan Cameron, Wayne MacPhail, Murray Dobbin and others! Read columns...

JOIN rabble.ca.: Put your money where your mouse is!

This week's top podcasts

Learning for today from working-class history
Craig Heron talks about his book "Lunch-Bucket Lives: Remaking the Workers' City" and about the relevance of history to movements today.
By Scott Neigh

Blair Braverman talks dog-sledding and navigating male dominance on a glacier
In this episode, Meghan Murphy speaks with author and musher, Blair Braverman, about her new book, Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube.
By Meghan Murphy

Free trade! What is it good for?
Kate Raphael of KPFA Women's Magazine asks Professors Maria Floro and Stephanie Seguino, two of the premier voices on gender equity and globalization, to demystify trade policy.
By Kate Raphael

This week's top rabbletv

Canada Post 'has no problem lying to the public' says CUPW president
CUPW president Mike Palecek talks one-on-one with rabble about the ongoing Canada Post negotiations and management's continued lies to the public.
By Greg Macdougall

This week's top books

Digital media creates tumultuous environment for Canadian politics
The news media landscape is changing. Rapidly. As digital media brings much good to the citizens how are the political elites using it to control the message?
By Alex Marland

In this issue

Upcoming events

West Vancouver Squamish National 28th Annual Youth Powwow 2016
The Squamish National 28th Annual Youth Powwow will take place from July 8 to 10 at the Capilano Reserve Park.

MontrealA Creative Conversation About Basic Income
A participatory series that seeks to reinvent the idea of the university by creating spaces for lifelong learning, critical thinking, and community engagement in local neighbourhoods.
By University of the Streets Café at Concordia

Toronto Toronto Queer West Film Festival
Fancy something a little bit different? Join us at the 8th Annual Queer West Film Festival at Innis Town Hall.
By Gay West Community Network Inc

This week's top in cahoots

CETA vulnerable to defeat
Thanks to Brexit and the fact that our largest EU trading partner is no longer in CETA, the Council of Canadians is calling on Trudeau to do a proper cost-benefit analysis of CETA.
By Council of Canadians

Trudeau government must put an end to Canada Post's pension attack
Canada Post is set to lock out 50,000 postal workers as early as Friday. In spite of long-standing profits, Canada Post wants to impose unfair wages and undermine pensions for future generations.
By Canadian Labour Congress

Pride action by Black Lives Matter important for LGBTQ+ communities
The Black Lives Matter action at the Toronto Pride Parade helped bring about change and gave voice to so many who are increasingly marginalized by how Pride is currently being run.
By Canadian Union of Public Employees

Active babble topics

1,000 Canadian troops to join NATO brigade in Latvia
By NDPP

The Chilcot Inquiry: The final judgement on Tony Blair
By iyraste1313

Black Lives Matter Toronto briefly halts Pride parade
By Mr. Magoo

Get rabble daily

Support our work

Put your money where your mouse is and donate to rabble today.

This week's top tool

Tell Justin Trudeau to keep his promise to Indigenous students
Lift the cap, it's only fair!

Poll

What #Q would you ask the #ERRE about electoral reform?

Yesterday, the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform (ERRE) kicked off with Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef appearing as the first witness.

Monsef described the current first-past-the-post electoral system as "antiquated," cautioned against a referendum on the issue -- something Conservatives have been pushing for -- and emphasized public engagement.

The committee has also encouraged Canadians to engage with electoral reform using the hashtags #ERRE #Q -- a compromise on the original motion by NDP MP Nathan Cullen to include substantial allotted time for Twitter questions.

What #Q would you ask the #ERRE about electoral reform?

Choices Why are we even considering a referendum? Take it off the table! #Brexit When are we just going to implement a form of proportional representation? #waiting Which system would create a more diverse and equitable government? #pickthatone It's odd that we're talking about public engagement but not including a larger space for the public, no? #really Why is Jason Kenney still on the committee? Isn't he running for King of Alberta or something? #oof Why am I asking questions, I don't care about electoral reform!?! #boooring None of the above.