Posties stage last rally before work resumes

Darryl Dyck/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Postal workers outside the main post office in Vancouver yesterday stage a “die-in” to protest back-to-work legislation, which they say represents the death of collective bargaining in Canada.

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Published: June 28, 2011 5:25 a.m.

Last modified: June 28, 2011 3:15 a.m.

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A crowd of hundreds howled for a general strike outside of Canada Post’s Vancouver headquarters yesterday in a final show of outrage at the legislated end to a month of labour disruptions.

“Canada Post got what they wanted,” said Robert Mulvin, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Worker’s Vancouver local. “It seems like they were working hand-in-hand with the government. It’s dirty business.”

CUPW workers had been locked out for two weeks when news broke on Sunday that an NDP filibuster had failed to block a Conservative bill to send members back to work today.

“There will be challenges to the legalities of some of the aspects of that bill,” Mulvin vowed.

“One of the worst aspects of it is that we’re to put down our final offer in 90 days, the corporation puts down their final offer and an arbitrator chooses one of them,” he added. “There’s no bringing the two parties together; there’s no mediation.... It’s actually never been seen before.”

The protest drew about 300 people, including members of several unions and B.C. NDP Leader Adrian Dix, and featured a “die-in,” as well as a picket led by a marching band.

Letter carrier Suzanne Gamache wasn’t worried about the result of the dispute.

“We’re more united than ever. We’re going to go back to work with our heads held high,” she said.

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