Today’s letters: Canada Post strike is hurting all Canadians

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The right to strike is fundamental to labour-management relations in Canada. Almost as sacred, if not more, is the spirit of giving to charitable organizations during the lead-up to the holiday season.

Usually when hard workers are on the picket lines, you hear the honking of horns in cars passing by, lending their support. This week in Ottawa there is a dearth of this kind of support; drivers pass the strike lines in sad silence.

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The delicate balance of the social contract between public servants and the public they serve in times of their greatest need is slowly being eroded.

Still, it is amazing how polite and non-critical the heads of charitable organizations are being in not criticizing the strikers or Canada Post management as they limit themselves to just underscoring how their donations are down.

But this sad message is slowly sinking in: the public servants, managers and staff who contribute to making the holidays the most fruitful economic time for giving, and who make much of Christmas happen in the more isolated parts of Canada, have abandoned their post. This strike will not be forgotten, it is a lump of coal served up to a stunned Canadian public.

With the competition facing postal services worldwide, the relevancy of Canada Post going forward may well be on the line.

SuzAnne Doré, Ottawa

Three-day-a-week mail delivery would work

It is time to consider three-day mail delivery: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Canada Post can use the present full-time employees to deliver parcels on the weekend. This could help Canada Post towards a balanced budget.

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Brian Cunningham, Ottawa

Postal strike: It’s a lose-lose for everyone

The ongoing postal strike is hurting everyone and has no winners (except maybe Amazon). There is the inconvenience to many small businesses who rely on the mail; to charities who send out fundraising letters; and to people (particularly seniors) who are more likely to send and receive letters and packages (rather than emailing or ordering online). This is particularly true during the holiday season when many people — not just the old or lonely — look forward to receiving Christmas cards in the mail. (And what about those kids who love to mail letters to Santa?)

The longer the strike lingers, the more likely people and businesses are to get used to life without postal service. Many may develop work-arounds and will no longer rely on Canada Post.

The bottom line, with even less revenue in Canada Post’s coffers, will be layoff and retrenchment, which will put more postal workers at risk of losing their jobs. So not only will the public lose out, so will the posties and Canada Post itself! (And the longer the Trudeau government does nothing, the more this unpopular government will lose out as well.)

Time for all sides to get in the Christmas spirit, think of others and get the mail moving again. No more bah-humbug, please!

Kris Nanda, Ottawa

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