Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Ontario Region, Bulletin

Year Published:  1978
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX852

Two statements by CUPW President, Jean-Claude Parrot, after raids, injunctions and criminal charges following the Postal Strike in October.

Abstract: 
These are two statements by CUPW President, Jean-Claude Parrot, after raids, injunctions and criminal charges following the Postal Strike in October. The first is a press release (Oct. 20) arguing that the government has not respected the fundamental human rights of postal workers and has rejected the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty. "Only slaves cannot withdraw their labour", he said, "and postal workers will never agree to become slaves", he said. In the second statement (Nov. 8), Parrot wonders why the government has attacked the union every time negotiations were ready to begin, most especially by passing a law to end the right to strike just as that right became legal. He outlines the "drum-like precision" with which the attack took place during and after the strike: back-to-work legislation, threats to fire all postal workers without right of appeal, raids on national, regional and local offices by the RCMP, five national executive members charged under a section of the criminal code never invoked during a labour dispute. Parrot claims the attack is totally political using four different departments to deny legal rights by making trade unionism a crime.
A CUPW defence committee has been established (613-238-7492) and is calling for the repeal of Bill C-8 and the dismissal of all charges.