By Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative/Penticton Herald

There wasn91裸聊视频檛 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 they91裸聊视频檙e being forced to return to work without a negotiated settlement.

91裸聊视频淲e are very disheartened and angry,91裸聊视频� 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. 91裸聊视频淲e just found out about the Industrial Labour Board decision this morning. We didn91裸聊视频檛 know exactly what that meant because no one has seen the final written notice.

91裸聊视频淚 feel like it91裸聊视频檚 a violation of our rights. We91裸聊视频檙e being forced to go back to work against our will and that91裸聊视频檚 not right. There hasn91裸聊视频檛 been any kind of negotiated settlement and they91裸聊视频檙e making us do what we don91裸聊视频檛 want to do without going back to (negotiations).91裸聊视频�

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 isn91裸聊视频檛 legitimate, said Attrill.

91裸聊视频淐hristmas season is basically over,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淩eally, what are we going to be able to do in the next few days to change things? It91裸聊视频檚 just an excuse to force us back to work.91裸聊视频�

The 100 members of Local 796 who have been without a paycheque for five weeks are almost unanimously upset and angry they91裸聊视频檙e being forced to return to work without a negotiated new contract, she said.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e all been out here on the picket line for five weeks without a paycheque and there91裸聊视频檚 no guarantees they91裸聊视频檙e going to make an agreement in the next little bit,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a really good chance we91裸聊视频檙e going to have to go through this all over again.

91裸聊视频淓veryone on the picket line feels a little bit differently, but for the most part, I think there91裸聊视频檚 a lot of collective anger.91裸聊视频�

This is her third time on strike after 17 years of service with Canada Post and it91裸聊视频檚 infuriating she91裸聊视频檚 never returned to work after the federal government sat down and negotiated a fair contract, said Attrill.

91裸聊视频淭he first two times we were locked out and now this forcing us back,91裸聊视频� she said.

The union91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚t breaks my heart, when I have people (fellow union members) coming to me telling me 91裸聊视频業 really need dental work, but I just can91裸聊视频檛 use my benefits because I just can91裸聊视频檛 pay my rent91裸聊视频�, 91裸聊视频業 need food and what I have left is just not covering that,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e need a livable wage. If you look at the wages of other people in our industry, they make far more than we do.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檒l never really know what he makes,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淏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,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 know the exact amount, but it91裸聊视频檚 a lot.

91裸聊视频淥n top of that, we have 20 vice presidents. What company with 55,000 employees, needs 20 vice presidents? It91裸聊视频檚 ridiculous. We91裸聊视频檙e so top-heavy, it91裸聊视频檚 ridiculous.91裸聊视频�

From being in contact with other CUPW local presidents, it91裸聊视频檚 been confirmed there is one supervisor for every 10 front-line workers at Canada Post, she said.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 just ridiculous,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭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.

91裸聊视频淲e had way more routes, because mail volume was way up, and now we have four, full-time supervisors. It91裸聊视频檚 ridiculous.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淢ost of the blame lies with Mr. Ettinger as we do fall under his leadership and what he91裸聊视频檚 done to the employees, the people that I work with and represent, is disgusting,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭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 they91裸聊视频檝e ordered us back to work.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e taking away our right to fight for what we believe in and what we think is right,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淩ight now, we91裸聊视频檙e just sort of taking the temperature of the members,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 want to just hear what each of them feels about what91裸聊视频檚 happened and what they think we should do.

91裸聊视频淯ltimately, that91裸聊视频檚 what a union is. It91裸聊视频檚 about everybody sticking together and making decisions that are best for all of us.91裸聊视频�

The 55,000 union members deserve pay hikes that allow them to live a decent quality of life and this labour dispute won91裸聊视频檛 be resolved until Canada Post leadership makes a fair offer, said Attrill.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e just asking for pay increases that keep up with the price of living, at a bare minimum,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝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.

91裸聊视频淪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 we91裸聊视频檝e had four per cent over three years and the cost of living has gone up significantly over that time. We don91裸聊视频檛 want to go backwards any more.91裸聊视频�

Union members do feel bad about the interruption of service due to the labour dispute a month before Christmas, but the timing isn91裸聊视频檛 the union91裸聊视频檚 fault, she said.

91裸聊视频淎t the same time, we hope people realize our workers have families and have to eat too and that91裸聊视频檚 12 months of the year. We have rent to pay, food to buy, car insurance just like everyone else.91裸聊视频�