Canada Postal Strike

[crrcboatz]

There is no comparing you taking out u r garbage and living in it and with it hot weather, cold weather, every day. Don't even go there.

How do I know well did that one summer while getting my first degree.

[Stinger9D9]

When I was in grade 11 there was a teachers strike, I got a good 3 week vacation in the first term of the year :D



Even without a strike, that's a great way to get stuff cheaper. For some reason shipping in Canada is much more expensive (it's usually cheaper to ship to the US than to another address in Canada), just like flights within Canada.

USPS is also offering some kind of service to Canada that guarantees delivery even if there is a strike. I don't know the details of it, but LarrysDrifter got a quote from them to send me a UL-1 that was guaranteed in a couple days regardless of what Canada Post is doing. It wasn't cheap, but it would get there!

I know in the past, some stuff sent to me by US sellers was delivered on this side of the border by Purolator Courier.

Yes, our US friends, Purolator (the oil filter company) actually is a courier company up here in Canada. I don't even know if we can buy Purolator filters up here at all, but if wikipedia is to be believed, Purolator bought a courier company to, you guessed it, deliver filters. The courier company was then sold off back to Canadian owners, but kept the name. Fun fact: 91% of Purolator is owned by...Canada Post Corporation (small world eh?)

Anyway, enough of the history tangent. I guess if you ship USPS a certain, particularly fast way, Purolator will take it once it crosses the border and deliver it.

[gizmo1]

Hi Guys,

i just received this from my local postal annex that i use for my international shipping.
I hope all of this gets worked for of you guys up north soon, i ship alot of parts up your way...

Giz.

here is the email i received

Buddy,



Just a head’s up: The Canadian post office is on strike and as of midnight Saturday the USPS is no longer accepting shipments for Canada, until the strike is settled.



The package you sent Saturday was accepted, because the ruling hadn’t been made yet, but it MAY take a long time to get there, depending on how the mail in Canada is being handled. I assume there will be a delay, but can’t say how long.



In the meantime, though, until you hear the strike is settled, I wouldn’t accept any orders from Canada.



Wayne Halberg

Postal Annex at Imperial Oaks

[Boaterguy]

i'm waiting for stuff, I hop they get it done soon.

[kookie_guy]

i'm waiting for stuff, I hop they get it done soon.

worst case scenario, they will likely be legislated back to work as of Thursday, meaning mail delivery should resume by Friday.

[Boaterguy]

awesome

[Stinger9D9]

worst case scenario, they will likely be legislated back to work as of Thursday, meaning mail delivery should resume by Friday.

That is not the worst case scenario being reported currently. The newly elected NDP opposition is not happy with the government interfering with the negotiation process - they'd prefer the union and corporation reach a settlement through traditional bargaining. They have stated that they will challenge back to work legislation.

But the conservatives have a majority right? So what could the NDP do? They can all take their sweet time debating it. The vote can't take place until debate is done.

How long can that take? Well, worst case in the past, a bill has been delayed 55 days in debate before a vote took place.

What does this mean?

It means, the NDP could potentially hold up a legislated resolution to the strike for 2 more months.

As much as I hate to admit it, they (the NPD) do have a point. The corporation and union should have to try hammering out a deal the old fashioned way, but that won't make my parcels arrive any sooner.

[wparsons]

Especially since the only reason for the full "strike" is that they were all locked out by the corporation when they were on the rotating strike plan. What the Harper government is basically doing is telling the workers who were locked out that they have to go back to work, makes sense right?

[sailr]

I tried to ship something to Canada on Friday, I believe. The only option was international express for $60 for an item that usually would be $30 or so. At least the buyer is understanding. He told me to hold off a week or so in hopes the strike would be over.

I have never enjoyed sending anything to Canada because their customs and post systems leave a lot to be desired. But with the STrike, it's the worst! I have less trouble shipping to Russia, Australia, Dubai, Romania, Mexico, etc., than to Canada, notwithstanding the strike.

[wparsons]

Not sure how it's working, but I got an email stating a package had been sent my way via USPS from OSE yesterday. It's just a prop, velcro and some heat shrink tubing and I didn't get anything from Steven saying shipping charges would be way higher.

I wonder if it matters where in Canada it's going, my package from OSE is coming to just north of Toronto (Thornhill).

[sailr]

The package I was trying to send was in Toronto also. So not sure.

[wparsons]

Guess it depends on the mood of the person taking the shipment. For all I know they took the one headed to me knowing that Canada Post wouldn't accept it and it'll be sitting waiting to be handed off.

[GP73]

As far as I know as of Saturday USPS is not accepting any package for Canada.

HK will not ship any package for Canada until further notice.

[wparsons]

I hear what you're saying, but the email I got yesterday morning says otherwise:

Seller
Offshore Electrics Inc.
[email protected]

Shipping address - confirmed
Will Parsons
XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
Thornhill, Ontario
XXXXXX
Canada


Shipping details
Mailing date: Jun 20, 2011
Shipper: U.S. Postal Service
Tracking number: LJ.........US
Service type: Priority Mail International®
Shipping Status: Shipped

I didn't place the order until about 4:30 pm Sunday, so it's not a delayed email.

[Stinger9D9]

From the Toronto Star about 17 minutes ago:

"While the NDP has vowed to delay the legislation, Government House Leader Peter Van Loan told reporters that he expects the legislation will pass on Thursday or Friday, and then would go to the Senate. Mail service likely won’t resume until next week."

Sounds like we may finally have some light at the end of the tunnel.

Also - for those ouf you who don't know how the government of Canada can force anyone back to work:

For organized labour, the Harper government’s swift action to bring in back-to-work legislation, in the Canada Post and Air Canada disputes sends a strong message.

“They have placed the labour movement on notice that the right to strike doesn’t really exist in Canada, even in the private sector,” said Ontario Federation of Labour president Sid Ryan. “(Harper) has thrown down the gauntlet, and said your move is next.

Yes, in Canada, the right to strike has been challenged and found not to be a constitutional right up in the great white north. If the government sees fit, it can force you back to work. What are the penalties?

The legislation also sets out penalties if the union or Canada Post defies the legislation, including up to $50,000 a day for union or company official, and up to $100,000 a day for the company or union. Individuals would face up to $1,000 a day.

Yikes!

And all I wanted was my boat that's stuck in the mail...