Foreign Service - Strike?

[costaudjoe]

For those who thought the cabinet shuffle might bring some winds of change (spoiler alert: it doesn't).

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/07/16/tony-clement-diplomats-strike_n_3606498.html?utm_hp_ref=canada-politics

 

[waiting1234]

Shows a very widespread insensitivity

 

[waiting1234]

If i tweet or say something against the Government stance on the strike and side with PAFSO would that be used against me during the application process?

 

[amikety]

If i tweet or say something against the Government stance on the strike and side with PAFSO would that be used against me during the application process?

No because PAFSO don't process your application.

 

[costaudjoe]

No because PAFSO don't process your application.

Normally, I would agree with you. However with the recent news of Cabinet Ministers passing on blacklists (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/07/16/cabinet-enemy-list_n_3604777.html), I don't think much is beyond this government.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

No because PAFSO don't process your application.

The members of PAFSO do.

This government doesn't care what you say about them. They act with impunity.

 

[nanediniz]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/clement-takes-stab-at-striking-foreign-service-officers-urges-union-to-accept-offer/article13269000/?cmpid=rss1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[ism45]

I heard someone saying the immigration officers are not actually in the strike, it all about diplomats? Any thoughts?

 

[orly]

They have been spreading the word but mass media outlets have political interests as well and when those media outlets do not report or report inaccurately then people don't get the word.

Unions withhold services and hope that public pressure works in their favour. Unfortunately the opinion of many is that unionized workers are all fat and lazy and overpaid. If more people realized just how much they have gained from the sacrifices of unionized labour they may be more prone to act with the unions during labour disputes.

I'm not in a union. I work for a small private company. A company that has been good enough to keep my position open while I'm stuck in limbo due to the delays this is causing. Without a valid work permit all I can do is sit at home. However my employer can't hold it open indefinitely so I'm facing the prospect of losing my job. A job that pays a fraction of what the guys striking are getting.

Forgive me for not being completely impressed with PAFSOs tactics.

Ordinarily I'm a pretty sensible Socialist and can happily support VALID union grievances. In this case it looks like a simple case of envy because someone in the next office happens to be paid more. In the real world that's how things work sometimes...not everyone gets paid the same. When the taxpayer (in my case myself and my wife) who funds their wages in the first place gets screwed over by people in far more secure positions earning more it's not really supportable.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

I'm not in a union. I work for a small private company. A company that has been good enough to keep my position open while I'm stuck in limbo due to the delays this is causing. Without a valid work permit all I can do is sit at home. However my employer can't hold it open indefinitely so I'm facing the prospect of losing my job. A job that pays a fraction of what the guys striking are getting.

Forgive me for not being completely impressed with PAFSOs tactics.

Ordinarily I'm a pretty sensible Socialist and can happily support VALID union grievances. In this case it looks like a simple case of envy because someone in the next office happens to be paid more. In the real world that's how things work sometimes...not everyone gets paid the same. When the taxpayer (in my case myself and my wife) who funds their wages in the first place gets screwed over by people in far more secure positions earning more it's not really supportable.

Sounds to me like you have a simple case of "Not in my backyard".

PAFSO has been trying to negotiate for over 2 years so any job action could be avoided. The Government has opted, like they have with every union, force the job action to happen. It doesn't matter if they make more than you or me. They may well deserve to. They are entitled to make the same as their domestic counterparts. The cost to the taxpayer is minimal. Harper is being a prick.

 

[waiting1234]

Might be but this is a very strange position. The Gov't is not directly affected at the moment. Only people affected are immigrants applying. Tourism and Education are suffering but the deficit in tax dollars will only be felt some ways down the line. For now its a no loss to Govt.. or not enough loss.. It is unreasonable for PAFSO to hold thousands at ransom for something they have very little to do with

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Might be but this is a very strange position. The Gov't is not directly affected at the moment. Only people affected are immigrants applying. Tourism and Education are suffering but the deficit in tax dollars will only be felt some ways down the line. For now its a no loss to Govt.. or not enough loss.. It is unreasonable for PAFSO to hold thousands at ransom for something they have very little to do with

I disagree. The Government loses but they just don't care. Rotating postal strikes that affected the revenue of Canada Post while minimizing the affect on the public was met from management under direction from Harper to lock out everyone until they could legislate us back to work and remove or legal right to strike. So instead of the corporation losing 10's of thousands of dollars a day in delayed service they opt to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars and affect the public and small business just so the Government can claim a win over a union.

This is not a government too concerned about the interests of anyone but their own.

 

[orly]

Sounds to me like you have a simple case of "Not in my backyard".

PAFSO has been trying to negotiate for over 2 years so any job action could be avoided. The Government has opted, like they have with every union, force the job action to happen. It doesn't matter if they make more than you or me. They may well deserve to. They are entitled to make the same as their domestic counterparts. The cost to the taxpayer is minimal. Harper is being a prick.

Their job is to serve Canadians and their families rather than bicker over how much of the taxpayer funding they can suck up for themselves. If they'd mentioned ways they were going to improve service (after getting slower at processing applications in recent years) I might be more receptive. But that's far from their minds.

There is a clear disconnect from reality. The truth is they get a good deal and well looked after when they retire. The action directly harms the people they are supposed to be helping. It's envy and greed and I can't support their position.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Their job is to serve Canadians and their families rather than bicker over how much of the taxpayer funding they can suck up for themselves. If they'd mentioned ways they were going to improve service (after getting slower at processing applications in recent years) I might be more receptive. But that's far from their minds.

It's envy and greed and I can't support their position.

They do not set policy. The Minister does that. You want to blame all the ills of CIC on the workers. They did not vote to close Visa Offices. The government decided that.

You are also advocating a 2 tier wage system. How is it greedy to want just as much as your peers?

 

[scos]

Their job is to serve Canadians and their families rather than bicker over how much of the taxpayer funding they can suck up for themselves. If they'd mentioned ways they were going to improve service (after getting slower at processing applications in recent years) I might be more receptive. But that's far from their minds.

There is a clear disconnect from reality. The truth is they get a good deal and well looked after when they retire. The action directly harms the people they are supposed to be helping. It's envy and greed and I can't support their position.

It is not their job to determine how to improve service, the union represents the workers rights, that is all. It is up to the government to improve service. In case you don't realize it, the MPs also suck up taxpayer money for their own pay and perks (not even getting into the recent senate problems). But all the government has done is close visa offices, reduce staff, and consolidate operations. THAT is why the waits are getting longer and longer, not that the staffs are getting progressively lazier.

The problem is with the government and will only get worse.