06) FOR OUR FUTURE: STAND WITH CUPW

People's Voice Editorial

     The struggle by the Postal Workers for a fair collective agreement is no ordinary bargaining dispute. It is the latest episode in a campaign to drive down the wages and working conditions of the entire working class. Once again, right-wing politicians and media talking heads are frothing at the mouth about "overpaid" workers, "generous" sick leave plans, "inflated" pensions. Coming from people who have widened the income and wealth gap in Canada to historic proportions, these accusations are absurd. But repeated often enough, with sufficient volume, blatant lies can take on a dangerous aura of authenticity.

     As with other recent public sector strikes, the bosses hope to sow petty jealousies to sap our ability to unite against a common enemy. Yes, $24 per hour is a decent wage, and postal workers do enjoy some hard-won sick leave and pension benefits. But why shouldn't workers who perform a tough job under difficult weather conditions earn enough money to live relatively comfortably, instead of sinking into poverty?

     Every attack on the wages and benefits of postal workers needs to be countered with the truth that millionaire shareholders and CEOs in this country are laughing all the way to the bank. Corporate profits will likely hit $250 billion this year, while 1.4 million workers are jobless and millions more face a scary future.

     If two-tier wages and benefits are imposed at Canada Post and across the country, the entire working class will see its conditions sink through the floor within the next generation. A defeat for CUPW in this battle may open the floodgates for such an all-out assault. We cannot afford to lose this fight. We must stand with CUPW, on the picket lines, in our everyday conversations with friends and fellow workers, in the wider arena of public opinion. Our future depends on it.

(The above article is from the June 16-30, 2011, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)