What a difference a threat of legislation makes!
Members of the Winnipeg Local showed up en mass today in response to the Locals call for an appropriate response to the Harper Governments threat to end free collective bargaining in our contract talks with Canada Post.
The right wing media in Canada has been suggesting through their editorial pages and eleven o’clock news clips that there is no support for a Public Post Office. They argue that the Canadian public cares little for “snail mail” and that the internet is their favored method of business and communication.
Today in Winnipeg the public proved them wrong! Led by the Winnipeg Local of CUPW, over 2500 people, representing various labour, student and citizens organizations protested Harper’s bid to force locked out CUPW members back to work.
Service workers from Air Canada, who were threatened with back to work legislation a mere twelve hours after they went on strike, joined us with enthusiasm. Hundreds of members of the Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions, who were holding their national convention in Winnipeg, swelled our ranks and helped re-energize our struggle against the management of Canada Post. Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Canadian Federation of Students, and many other organizations showed their solidarity on an important day.
Today’s action followed a protest held at the Winnipeg International Airport yesterday evening. Two hundred members of the Canadian Auto Workers and CUPW stood shoulder to shoulder outside and inside the airport and sent a clear message that we stand united against the Harper agenda to break the back of organized labour.
CUPW members should be proud of their bold actions and their persistence in our fight for our health and safety, our hard earned benefits, and wages for future postal workers. We need to continue this fight with our allies. Harper must be stopped!
On behalf of The Winnipeg Local, we thank everybody who was able to attend today’s action, you have shown that the people united will never be defeated.
Solidarity!
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