Table of ContentsJob DesignTrade Union RightsGovernment InterventionConclusionReferences“We are not complaining about work. We want our hard work to be reflected in our salary.” The words of a union leader from 1886 have never been more true in the labor world in 2018. It was the same sentiment expressed by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) when it launched a rotating strike on October 22, 2018. CUPW identified several problems with the collective agreement which had expired. More importantly, the salary difference between urban and rural couriers; more precisely, the method of calculating salaries. Urban couriers were paid on an hourly basis, while rural couriers were paid based on route size; this amounted to a pay gap compared to rural couriers. An important factor to note is that the majority of rural couriers are women, while urban couriers are predominantly men. CUPW also expressed concern about the stagnation of wages, while couriers face a growing rate of workplace accidents. According to CUPW, twenty-five percent of letter carriers were injured in 2017. An arbitrator has been appointed by the federal government to resolve the pay inequity dispute by the end of August; however, the dispute was not resolved at that time. The strike was a nasty propaganda campaign launched by both sides accusing each other of disrupting postal service during the holiday season. Canada Post management released images of lots full of postal trucks, saying they were full of mail but could not be delivered because of CUPW. After three weeks of rotating strikes, the federal government passed legislation to force postal workers back to work. The government says the postal service was crucial to economic stability; Especially as the end-of-year holidays approached and consumers were worried about the on-time delivery of packages. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay The situation with Canada Post and the Canadian Postal Workers' Union has relevant links to human resource management through: the design of tasks, the process of resolving union disputes, and fundamental union rights. The Job DesignCanada position failed a critical element of human resource planning because it did not effectively conduct a job analysis. Canada Post has not adequately prepared its workers for the changing demands of the postal worker position. As technology advances, paper mail is becoming increasingly obsolete, forcing Canada Post to start delivering more, heavier packages. increasing physical load. A postal worker described working conditions as “dangerous” while describing the details of her foot injury. In addition to the increased physical demand, this has also put the mental health of postal workers at risk; one worker described the workplace atmosphere as follows: “It's the kind of workplace where you just let yourself go and keep going. » An important element of job design is the compensation workers receive; in other words, the monetary value associated with physical and mental demands, responsibilities and working conditions. The postal workers believed that the remuneration provided for in the collective agreement was unfair given the changing work environment. If Canada Post had madeappropriate job evaluations to assess changing conditions, Posts could have intervened before the collective agreement expired. Continuous job evaluations help companies understand changing job requirements; enable the business to make appropriate adjustments and solutions to avoid disruption. The failure of Canada Post's job analysis resulted in a loss of public and worker confidence. Union Rights The Canada Post case explores relevant topics related to unionization and union rights. Before the Canadian Postal Union collective agreement expired, the two parties conducted several rounds of negotiations; including seeking advice from a federally appointed arbitrator. Unionization allowed groups of workers to enter into collective agreements to represent all workers' rights. CUPW went through all stages of the dispute resolution process before voting in favor of a strike. the vote saw approximately 94% of urban workers and 96% of rural workers vote in favor of a strike. Although the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is a group representing essential services, defined as “a service, facility or activity of the Government of Canada that is or will be, at any time, necessary for the safety or security of the public or to a segment of the public”; they still have the right to strike under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and other legislation. However, the government has placed limits on the right to strike by ending labor disputes through back-to-work legislation that requires workers to return to their jobs. The goal behind this type of legislation is to avoid strike impasses and ensure that Canadians are not prevented from using essential services. Labor Minister Patty Hajdu said, “Small and medium-sized businesses rely on Canada Post to have a profitable season and our economy needs Canada Post to operate smoothly.” Employers, employees and government all have a duty to protect external stakeholders; in this case, it's the public. This duty is reinforced by the decision to organize a rotating strike instead of a nationwide walkout; CUPW and Canada Post wanted to minimize harm to the general public who use their essential services. Government Intervention As mentioned above, the federal government passed back-to-work legislation to force CUPW to return to full-time service. The legality of the government's ability to limit the freedom to strike is the subject of protests in the courts. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association called the federal government's action "a serious threat to workers' constitutional rights." In 2011, the Harper government passed similar legislation to end the CUPW strike. the legislation was deemed unconstitutional and a violation of workers' rights. The government's current efforts to block the strike once again show the flaws in the system. How can CUPW exercise its right to waive unsafe working conditions and bargain collectively? if the government blocks it? Additionally, this sets a dangerous precedent for management teams like Canada Post; the post office does not need to negotiate in good conscience if it knows that workers will be obliged to return under the same collective agreement. The government's intervention does not bode well for relations between Canada Post and CUPW. neither will have confidence in each other/