Saturday, June 11, 2011
Another CUPW Screwup
As soon as the rotating strikes were announced, employees were blindsided by Canada Post's contention that since the collective agreement was no longer in force and so they didn't have to cover benefits. Thus, employees found that drug plans, other health coverage, life insurance, and of course pension payments were no longer in place.
It is, I suspect, the union's belief that since these strikes are rotating, then employees who are still on the job should be entitled to their benefits. I haven't gone looking through the Canada Labour Code with a lawyer's eye for detail, but I have gone to an excellent review site, and find that... well, I don't really find much of anything. As far as I can tell, this particular situation hasn't been addressed.
Here are some aspects of employee status that are put at risk by a strike or lockout because they depend upon the resulting collective agreement. However, some aspects of employment are so fundamental they ought not to be put unduly at risk by a work stoppage. These include pension and insurance rights. Says the appropriate page:
It says nothing about rotating strikes, but it is eminently clear about other situations: CPC employees would still have all of their benefits if CUPW had made prior arrangements for payments to continue to be made, or, if that was too onerous a financial burden, if they had allowed employees to make their own informed decision about whether or not to continue paying for coverage. And then they should have announced their intention to grieve this decision by CPC. To accept that something is going to happen is not the same as admitting that it is correct. Look out for all aspects of your members' rights and health from the front end and continue the fight on all other aspects as it goes along.
CUPW has announced that CPC will reinstate prescription drug coverage, with a $100 deductible and 80% coverage, which, for employees who themselves or have family members with chronic conditions, is better than a kick in the head with a hob nail boot. Unfortunately, the conditions of it don't allow either side to shine especially bright.
It is, I suspect, the union's belief that since these strikes are rotating, then employees who are still on the job should be entitled to their benefits. I haven't gone looking through the Canada Labour Code with a lawyer's eye for detail, but I have gone to an excellent review site, and find that... well, I don't really find much of anything. As far as I can tell, this particular situation hasn't been addressed.
Here are some aspects of employee status that are put at risk by a strike or lockout because they depend upon the resulting collective agreement. However, some aspects of employment are so fundamental they ought not to be put unduly at risk by a work stoppage. These include pension and insurance rights. Says the appropriate page:
Section 94(3)(d) prohibits an employer from denying to any employee any pension rights or benefits to which the employee would be entitled but for the cessation of work by the employee as the result of a lockout or strike that is not prohibited by Part I of the Code. The Code merely preserves pension and other benefits enjoyed or acquired prior to discontinuing work.
This is appropriate and should continue. Some provinces also protect insurance rights which are frequently provided through employer group plans. Employees with families are dependent on these plans for basic securities like life insurance, medical, dental or disability coverage and so on. It is often difficult, if not impossible, for employees to make alternate arrangements. Employees should be free to continue paying the full cost of premiums through their union, and the employers should be required to allow such benefits to continue.
Recommendation:
For the duration of a strike or lockout, employees through their union should be entitled to maintain employer-administered or third party insurance or similar benefit programs without interruption by the insurer or employer. This option should be conditional on the employees or union paying the full premium costs of such benefit plans.
It says nothing about rotating strikes, but it is eminently clear about other situations: CPC employees would still have all of their benefits if CUPW had made prior arrangements for payments to continue to be made, or, if that was too onerous a financial burden, if they had allowed employees to make their own informed decision about whether or not to continue paying for coverage. And then they should have announced their intention to grieve this decision by CPC. To accept that something is going to happen is not the same as admitting that it is correct. Look out for all aspects of your members' rights and health from the front end and continue the fight on all other aspects as it goes along.
CUPW has announced that CPC will reinstate prescription drug coverage, with a $100 deductible and 80% coverage, which, for employees who themselves or have family members with chronic conditions, is better than a kick in the head with a hob nail boot. Unfortunately, the conditions of it don't allow either side to shine especially bright.
Labels: Canada Post, cupw, strike, unions, work
Friday, June 10, 2011
How CUPW Has Dropped the Ball and Will Probably Lose the War
The ongoing strike action by CUPW against Canada Post is about a lot of things, and as I think about it, that is very much the problem right now. I'm not going to link to any, but I'll point out that Google can lead you to many articles and editorials about why Canada Post needs to change, or needs to be privatized, or that the employees (especially letter carriers, since they are the most visible face of the corporation) are lazy and/or overpaid. What almost all of those have in common is the steadfast refusal to discuss he issues as the union sees them, at least beyond the most cursory notice.
Journalists are inherently lazy. They'll work damned hard when pressed, and that push often comes from themselves, especially when faced with a gripping, hot story. But for stories such as this, they often need to be spoon fed. And as near as I can tell, CUPW is doing an absolutely horrific job at this. Here's what I've found on their site, a series of bulletins about negotiations set up in one handy place for the press to come and find it. And I will note that I don't doubt each bulletin is dutifully emailed to reporters as they come out, along with a link back to the site for further reference.
But there's nothing sexy in these bulletins, nothing that is going to catch the reporter's eye and sense of story, much less the editor's. Even more important, there is nothing personal in these bulletins. "United, Disciplined, and Proud?" Well, good for you. But big deal. And throwing around words like "struggle" just reminds those reporters and editors and, even more so, their corporate masters, that the union still holds some pride in its ostensibly distant Marxist roots.
With rotating strikes hopping around the country, CUPW missed a perfect chance to make this personal, local, and national, all at the same time. They should have had several sympathetic writers lined up, people who had some training in how to word things more coherently than your average union leader, ready to dive in - by phone or in person - to every city that was soon to walk out for their assigned 24 hours, in order to interview one or two employees about the grief they've received from management. Whether or not that grief related to the bargaining process and what was being offered or taken away should have been irrelevant. These pieces could have been used to highlight what postal employees have been asking for, what CPC has been taking away, and how all of this has been affecting the common good.
Let me give a couple of small examples, off the top of my head (and therefore with a couple of facts fudged and with names changed to protect the innocent):
In over 20 years of delivering mail to the people of Saskatoon, Ron Raymond has done his very best to ensure that his customers get nothing but the highest level of service. Besides making sure the mail gets there on time, no matter the weather, Ron has twice rescued toddlers who were locked out of their houses, he's reported the death of another customer, an older woman, to the police, and he's befriended children, adults, and pets alike. In that same span of time, Ron has had three knee surgeries, largely due to the fact that his walk is now close to 18km a day, up and down stairs and on hard pavement. His latest surgery had Ron needing time off just a couple of weeks ago, but this time instead of being allowed to properly recover, Ron was forced to go to Employment Insurance and to his bank manager to ask for help in making his mortgage payments, because Canada Post decided to cut off all benefits to its employees, even health benefits for postal employees previously injured on the job who needed medical help to be able to do their jobs properly.
This (and I admit it's short and could be better - this is what time and professionals are for) could be accompanied by a photo, if Ron allowed it, as well as a brief fact from negotiations, something that relates directly to what was mentioned.
Another could talk about a letter carrier who was forced out on overtime 31 days in a row in January and February, about the toll that took on his body, about the staffing at the time (but remember! Not too strident, keep it moderately apolitical and calm).
What both of my above examples could also tie into would be a brief commentary about how CPC's actions are adding a current and a future burden to the public health care system, wearing employees down and throwing them to the side when they're done. Make it about the public, and in more ways than just them deserving a proper and public mail system. Remind them that good jobs mean money back into the economy. Talk about the local issues and the national issues, and make sure you personalize them. Don't be stupid and talk about how people won't notice another small increase in postal rates. And above all, don't tell people how bad off you are compared to them, because that's just a ridiculous thing to say. Get their sympathy, not their anger.
Have these things on the website in a special place, easy to find (easy to remember, like yourpostalemployee.ca or some such). Also hand them out in hard copy to reporters you've contacted, along with links on the hard copy to the site with all the stories. Follow up with emails that have those links.
And dammit, start using Twitter! Near as I can tell, CUPW has two Twitter feeds, and neither one has a single tweet to show for it. The Vancouver local has tweeted 22 times, Pacific region 44 times. Most of those tweets are about local action, or which city is going out next. None are about CPC intransigence, about ridiculous offers during bargaining (sample: Get this! CPC wants a doctor to assess you ability to crawl after injury on duty!). They have to be fast, real time, with the bare minimum facts and no hyperbole. Say it, and move on. Tweet several times a day, every day. Look for mentions of CPC and CUPW, and follow them. Retweet anything others say that is important and fits for you, and watch as others do the same. Social media can spiral in the right direction if done well.
Facebook too, but less so. It should be used for mobilization, for getting people to spread word when other ways don't work. But Facebook lends itself less to the spreading of the good word beyond the limited number of people who are your Friends. Twitter, on the other hand, can have the signal amplified many times over (retweeting, in case you need to know).
Above all, get yourself on the offensive and don't sit back waiting for the world to come to you. It won't happen.
Journalists are inherently lazy. They'll work damned hard when pressed, and that push often comes from themselves, especially when faced with a gripping, hot story. But for stories such as this, they often need to be spoon fed. And as near as I can tell, CUPW is doing an absolutely horrific job at this. Here's what I've found on their site, a series of bulletins about negotiations set up in one handy place for the press to come and find it. And I will note that I don't doubt each bulletin is dutifully emailed to reporters as they come out, along with a link back to the site for further reference.
But there's nothing sexy in these bulletins, nothing that is going to catch the reporter's eye and sense of story, much less the editor's. Even more important, there is nothing personal in these bulletins. "United, Disciplined, and Proud?" Well, good for you. But big deal. And throwing around words like "struggle" just reminds those reporters and editors and, even more so, their corporate masters, that the union still holds some pride in its ostensibly distant Marxist roots.
With rotating strikes hopping around the country, CUPW missed a perfect chance to make this personal, local, and national, all at the same time. They should have had several sympathetic writers lined up, people who had some training in how to word things more coherently than your average union leader, ready to dive in - by phone or in person - to every city that was soon to walk out for their assigned 24 hours, in order to interview one or two employees about the grief they've received from management. Whether or not that grief related to the bargaining process and what was being offered or taken away should have been irrelevant. These pieces could have been used to highlight what postal employees have been asking for, what CPC has been taking away, and how all of this has been affecting the common good.
Let me give a couple of small examples, off the top of my head (and therefore with a couple of facts fudged and with names changed to protect the innocent):
In over 20 years of delivering mail to the people of Saskatoon, Ron Raymond has done his very best to ensure that his customers get nothing but the highest level of service. Besides making sure the mail gets there on time, no matter the weather, Ron has twice rescued toddlers who were locked out of their houses, he's reported the death of another customer, an older woman, to the police, and he's befriended children, adults, and pets alike. In that same span of time, Ron has had three knee surgeries, largely due to the fact that his walk is now close to 18km a day, up and down stairs and on hard pavement. His latest surgery had Ron needing time off just a couple of weeks ago, but this time instead of being allowed to properly recover, Ron was forced to go to Employment Insurance and to his bank manager to ask for help in making his mortgage payments, because Canada Post decided to cut off all benefits to its employees, even health benefits for postal employees previously injured on the job who needed medical help to be able to do their jobs properly.
This (and I admit it's short and could be better - this is what time and professionals are for) could be accompanied by a photo, if Ron allowed it, as well as a brief fact from negotiations, something that relates directly to what was mentioned.
Another could talk about a letter carrier who was forced out on overtime 31 days in a row in January and February, about the toll that took on his body, about the staffing at the time (but remember! Not too strident, keep it moderately apolitical and calm).
What both of my above examples could also tie into would be a brief commentary about how CPC's actions are adding a current and a future burden to the public health care system, wearing employees down and throwing them to the side when they're done. Make it about the public, and in more ways than just them deserving a proper and public mail system. Remind them that good jobs mean money back into the economy. Talk about the local issues and the national issues, and make sure you personalize them. Don't be stupid and talk about how people won't notice another small increase in postal rates. And above all, don't tell people how bad off you are compared to them, because that's just a ridiculous thing to say. Get their sympathy, not their anger.
Have these things on the website in a special place, easy to find (easy to remember, like yourpostalemployee.ca or some such). Also hand them out in hard copy to reporters you've contacted, along with links on the hard copy to the site with all the stories. Follow up with emails that have those links.
And dammit, start using Twitter! Near as I can tell, CUPW has two Twitter feeds, and neither one has a single tweet to show for it. The Vancouver local has tweeted 22 times, Pacific region 44 times. Most of those tweets are about local action, or which city is going out next. None are about CPC intransigence, about ridiculous offers during bargaining (sample: Get this! CPC wants a doctor to assess you ability to crawl after injury on duty!). They have to be fast, real time, with the bare minimum facts and no hyperbole. Say it, and move on. Tweet several times a day, every day. Look for mentions of CPC and CUPW, and follow them. Retweet anything others say that is important and fits for you, and watch as others do the same. Social media can spiral in the right direction if done well.
Facebook too, but less so. It should be used for mobilization, for getting people to spread word when other ways don't work. But Facebook lends itself less to the spreading of the good word beyond the limited number of people who are your Friends. Twitter, on the other hand, can have the signal amplified many times over (retweeting, in case you need to know).
Above all, get yourself on the offensive and don't sit back waiting for the world to come to you. It won't happen.
Labels: Canada Post, strike, unions, work
Friday, November 19, 2010
Some Surgical Procedures Are Easy
Attention Supervisors,
If you have not already had your sense of irony removed, this note should serve as a reminder that it is a quick and easy process. Indeed, unless you have felt compassion for an employee in the past two months, you won't even need anything more than a small dose of local anesthetic (now administered in the neck - we found that direct local anesthetic to the brain area was superfluous).
To test if the procedure was a success, we recommend that you take a moment during the weekly staff meeting to proudly announce you are leaving early that day to take a short vacation, scant moments after having justified to an employee why their claim for Family Leave - to take care of a medical situation for their son - was denied. If you are feeling extremely confident that the procedure went well, then perhaps leaving one or more entire walks unattended for three days or more without consequence for yourself or your fellow supervisors would prove an exciting challenge, especially when faced with employees who recently received five day suspensions for missing half a dozen flyers.
Sincerely,
Canada Post Management
If you have not already had your sense of irony removed, this note should serve as a reminder that it is a quick and easy process. Indeed, unless you have felt compassion for an employee in the past two months, you won't even need anything more than a small dose of local anesthetic (now administered in the neck - we found that direct local anesthetic to the brain area was superfluous).
To test if the procedure was a success, we recommend that you take a moment during the weekly staff meeting to proudly announce you are leaving early that day to take a short vacation, scant moments after having justified to an employee why their claim for Family Leave - to take care of a medical situation for their son - was denied. If you are feeling extremely confident that the procedure went well, then perhaps leaving one or more entire walks unattended for three days or more without consequence for yourself or your fellow supervisors would prove an exciting challenge, especially when faced with employees who recently received five day suspensions for missing half a dozen flyers.
Sincerely,
Canada Post Management
Labels: Canada Post, work
Friday, September 10, 2010
Canada Post Sets a New Standard
I really do wish I was one of the lucky ones, able to write full time. Perhaps some day, more than likely after the boys are gone from the house and we don't have that extra financial load to carry (one that we do so happily, mind). In the meantime, seeing how I stupidly chose not to finish university, the work I can do inevitably is of the commercial or grunt variety. For the past 6 years I've been with Canada Post, and for over 2 years since we arrived in Saskatoon I've been a full time letter carrier.
There are good things about the job: in that time, I've lost 40 pounds; I get to spend several hours a day outside, walking and sometimes chatting with people or visiting with "my" dogs and cats on the route; and I know that I don't have to work evenings or weekends, which means I'm able to do a whole lot more with my boys than I would if I worked selling cameras (to name but one job I have had).
This isn't the place to get into everything that's gone wrong with Canada Post in my short career there, but suffice it to say that I once said it was the best wage-slave job I'd ever had, and I no longer believe that. Perhaps another day I can grouse about other things, but today I'd like to turn my attention to a letter that arrived in my mailbox the other day, a letter from Canada Post.
The front of the letter (it's really a card that opens up, with something on the back and on the inside) has my name and address and says "INSIDE: Important Information about Canada Post's Social Media Policy." On the back, accompanied by various logos we've all come to know, for Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and more, are the words "Do you use Social Media? Here's what you need to know."
This caught my attention, even though the card came as Addressed Admail, which is the junk mail Canadians get that still has their name and address on it. Usually I toss this sort of thing, but I was intrigued. Curious about what nonsense I would now be privy to.
On the inside of the card there is some info about logging into Canada Post's Intrapost, but that's not relevant. Instead, allow me to reproduce everything else here. On the first fold it reads:
Why do we need a Social Media Policy?
Canada Post wants employees to join in the conversations Canadians have about us online.
Before you engage in those conversations, there are some things you should know and that's why we have created a Social Media Policy with 10 helpful guidelines. The policy strikes a good balance: say what you think while respecting your colleagues, our customers and the company.
Online comments can protect our brand - but using social media improperly can undermine everyone's hard work. That's why serious violations of the policy could trigger sanctions, including dismissal. It's important for every employee to follow the guidelines.
If you post or comment online, please express your views responsibly.
[and then, inside the fold]
Our Social Media Policy
The guidelines contained within the Social Media Policy spell out employees' responsibilities when using social media for professional purposes (including participation in discussion groups such as Life@work) and when participating in social media for personal use. They are consistent with best practices used across the Internet and reflect Canada Post's values.
1. Be responsible. You are personally responsible for the content you publish online through social media, and can be held liable for any commentary deemed to be defamatory, obscene, proprietary, or libelous. Be aware that the content you publish is visible to the entire world and will remain public for a very long time. Protect your privacy.
2. Follow the rules. Be aware of, and respect, the rules of participation governing the discussion groups and social networks within which you choose to participate. Remember that laws and company policies that apply in the "real" world also apply online.
3. Be transparent. If you post material or discuss topics related to your work or to Canada Post, identify your relationship to Canada Post. Even if you take part in an anonymous discussion or use a nickname, disclose your connection to the topic at hand. Never pretend to be someone you are not.
4. Take ownership. Clearly state that you are not speaking on behalf of Canada Post, unless you are expressly authorized to do so. Consider using a disclaimer such as: "This is my personal opinion, and does not necessarily represent the views of Canada Post." (Although good practice, this does not exempt you from being held accountable for what you write.)
5. Respect your audience and colleagues. Don't engage in any conduct or use any language that would not be acceptable in the workplace. Protect the privacy of others and respect their opinions.
6. Add value. When you express yourself in social media on issues related to, or about Canada Post, you contribute to the public perception of the Canada Post brand. Write about what you know, from your own perspective. Include links to relevant canadapost.ca pages or, in the case of internal posts, Intrapost pages.
7. Protect the brand. If you identify yourself as a Canada Post employee in an online social network, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues and clients.
8. Be accurate. If you publish information about Canada Post, ensure the information is accurate and the source is clearly indicated. Be the first to correct your own mistakes, and do not alter previous posts without indicating that you have done so.
9. Do not reveal secrets. Do not disclose confidential or proprietary information about the company, its clients, stakeholders, or suppliers. Respect copyrights and ask permission before you cite a colleague, client, stakeholder or supplier. If you are not sure whether some information is OK to publish, ask your manager/team leader.
10. Do not forget your day job. You are encouraged to use social media during your leisure time. Make sure your online activities do not interfere with your job or commitments to customers. Check with your manager/team leader if you are not sure about the appropriateness of publishing during work hours.
Got all that? Good. Now, let me break some of it down.
1 through 5 are all, for the most part, eye-wateringly obvious. Those of us who have floated around online for many years already know a) how to behave and b) what happens to people who are caught out. Where CPC falls apart, though, is in combining the stern parental voice that uses words such as "never" and "liable" and the even more stern voice that admonishes you to always make sure people know where you work and to make sure your readers know you don't speak for them (upon which they are quick to tell you that you could get into trouble even though you've clearly stated you don't speak for them. IANAL doesn't cut it here).
To break it down even further, this desperate need to hold your hand betrays the elementary school mentality I've been noticing at work for some years now. We know better than you, you should listen to us, we can't trust you to make any sensible decisions on your own. Also, we've noticed that some of you have gone off the reservation and we need to get you back, quick, before anybody else notices.
The last sentence of 5 was of special meaning and humour to me. A couple of weeks ago I needed to get in touch with a term employee that I was hoping to coerce into house and dog sitting when my family and I are in the Maritimes. Because I didn't have her phone number, I approached my direct supervisor and asked if she could contact this girl and give her my number, so that she could decide whether or not she wanted to call me. I did this because I know if I were in her situation (young gal, single, quiet) I would want to be able to control the access certain people had to me. Especially people from work. It's a privacy issue. But my supervisor didn't understand this, and just gave me the girl's home and mobile numbers. What that tells me is that either CPC has no official privacy policy as it relates to employees, or else this supervisor did not know of it or did not care about it. Either way, it was an appalling lapse in privacy control, and even safety. What if I was some creepy stalker looking to get back at someone who had spurned my advances?
6 and 7 are quite problematic. It's not my job to add value or protect the brand. I know. I checked the contract. It turns out (and here's a surprise) I'm supposed to deliver the mail. The fact that I do so with a smile on my face, in spite of the BS in the depot, the arthritis in my knees, and the insane quantity of junkmail each day (sorry, unaddressed admail is the preferred parlance) is testament to how important it is to me to represent my job in a positive light when I'm working. But that stops the minute I get home. I don't actively walk around bad-mouthing the idiots who don't know how to run things, at least not every minute of the day. But if someone thinks that I should be all sweetness and light about a corporation whose response to me being physically bullied and intimidated by a supervisor who is larger than me was to transfer him to another depot - with word that he may be transferred back by the end of the month - then they have obviously picked the wrong universe in which to live. My private life is my own life, and strangely enough I'm guaranteed to right to speak my mind. If I choose to bicker about some aspect of work, so be it. If someone at head office has a problem with that, I recommend paying attention and looking for a way to fix things.
8? Of course I'll be accurate. Thanks, Mom.
9 begs the question, What sort of secrets are we talking about? Obviously not private phone numbers. Hell, maybe I could post contact info for all of our management team here online. A precedent has pretty much been set. Canada Post info? It's a crown corporation, which means that, even though it is run like a corporation, there is still a government minister responsible, and therefore there are limits on what it can keep private. Wikipedia, for instance, has a fairly good overview of numbers, none of which can be considered proprietary. As for clients, well, it's none of my business and shouldn't be yours either. I deliver what I'm paid to deliver, and I don't snoop, nor do I let others know what's going in their neighbour's box. But on the flip side, if I were asked to deliver something that was remarkably offensive, I'd likely bring it to management, and when that inevitably didn't work, I'd take it further.
As for 10, well, let me spell out my day for you. I arrive and start sorting at 8:15, and usually no later than 10am I'm out the door (later as Christmas approaches). And then I walk and deliver. I don't take breaks. When I'm done, I go back to the depot, clean up for the next day, then go home. But let me tell you, if life were easier, if they hadn't pushed my start time from 7:45 to 8:15 because they couldn't for the life of them figure out how to get the priority mail to us in time, well then, I'd be living the easy life and would have all the time in the world to post updates to Facebook or my blog.
The problem there, though, is every one of them would be bitching about work. So maybe there's a method to their madness after all. In the meantime, I intend to lead my private life in the fashion I see fit. I won't do anything stupid like discuss doing violence to a member of management (yes, someone I work with once did that. The idiot), but yes, I'll bitch and moan all I want. And if I happen to follow some of those rules, it won't be because Big Brother told me to do so, it'll be because I already know how best to behave online. I'm not the one who's just suddenly stumbled into this strange thing the kids are doing on that great series of tubes.
There are good things about the job: in that time, I've lost 40 pounds; I get to spend several hours a day outside, walking and sometimes chatting with people or visiting with "my" dogs and cats on the route; and I know that I don't have to work evenings or weekends, which means I'm able to do a whole lot more with my boys than I would if I worked selling cameras (to name but one job I have had).
This isn't the place to get into everything that's gone wrong with Canada Post in my short career there, but suffice it to say that I once said it was the best wage-slave job I'd ever had, and I no longer believe that. Perhaps another day I can grouse about other things, but today I'd like to turn my attention to a letter that arrived in my mailbox the other day, a letter from Canada Post.
The front of the letter (it's really a card that opens up, with something on the back and on the inside) has my name and address and says "INSIDE: Important Information about Canada Post's Social Media Policy." On the back, accompanied by various logos we've all come to know, for Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and more, are the words "Do you use Social Media? Here's what you need to know."
This caught my attention, even though the card came as Addressed Admail, which is the junk mail Canadians get that still has their name and address on it. Usually I toss this sort of thing, but I was intrigued. Curious about what nonsense I would now be privy to.
On the inside of the card there is some info about logging into Canada Post's Intrapost, but that's not relevant. Instead, allow me to reproduce everything else here. On the first fold it reads:
Why do we need a Social Media Policy?
Canada Post wants employees to join in the conversations Canadians have about us online.
Before you engage in those conversations, there are some things you should know and that's why we have created a Social Media Policy with 10 helpful guidelines. The policy strikes a good balance: say what you think while respecting your colleagues, our customers and the company.
Online comments can protect our brand - but using social media improperly can undermine everyone's hard work. That's why serious violations of the policy could trigger sanctions, including dismissal. It's important for every employee to follow the guidelines.
If you post or comment online, please express your views responsibly.
[and then, inside the fold]
Our Social Media Policy
The guidelines contained within the Social Media Policy spell out employees' responsibilities when using social media for professional purposes (including participation in discussion groups such as Life@work) and when participating in social media for personal use. They are consistent with best practices used across the Internet and reflect Canada Post's values.
1. Be responsible. You are personally responsible for the content you publish online through social media, and can be held liable for any commentary deemed to be defamatory, obscene, proprietary, or libelous. Be aware that the content you publish is visible to the entire world and will remain public for a very long time. Protect your privacy.
2. Follow the rules. Be aware of, and respect, the rules of participation governing the discussion groups and social networks within which you choose to participate. Remember that laws and company policies that apply in the "real" world also apply online.
3. Be transparent. If you post material or discuss topics related to your work or to Canada Post, identify your relationship to Canada Post. Even if you take part in an anonymous discussion or use a nickname, disclose your connection to the topic at hand. Never pretend to be someone you are not.
4. Take ownership. Clearly state that you are not speaking on behalf of Canada Post, unless you are expressly authorized to do so. Consider using a disclaimer such as: "This is my personal opinion, and does not necessarily represent the views of Canada Post." (Although good practice, this does not exempt you from being held accountable for what you write.)
5. Respect your audience and colleagues. Don't engage in any conduct or use any language that would not be acceptable in the workplace. Protect the privacy of others and respect their opinions.
6. Add value. When you express yourself in social media on issues related to, or about Canada Post, you contribute to the public perception of the Canada Post brand. Write about what you know, from your own perspective. Include links to relevant canadapost.ca pages or, in the case of internal posts, Intrapost pages.
7. Protect the brand. If you identify yourself as a Canada Post employee in an online social network, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues and clients.
8. Be accurate. If you publish information about Canada Post, ensure the information is accurate and the source is clearly indicated. Be the first to correct your own mistakes, and do not alter previous posts without indicating that you have done so.
9. Do not reveal secrets. Do not disclose confidential or proprietary information about the company, its clients, stakeholders, or suppliers. Respect copyrights and ask permission before you cite a colleague, client, stakeholder or supplier. If you are not sure whether some information is OK to publish, ask your manager/team leader.
10. Do not forget your day job. You are encouraged to use social media during your leisure time. Make sure your online activities do not interfere with your job or commitments to customers. Check with your manager/team leader if you are not sure about the appropriateness of publishing during work hours.
Got all that? Good. Now, let me break some of it down.
1 through 5 are all, for the most part, eye-wateringly obvious. Those of us who have floated around online for many years already know a) how to behave and b) what happens to people who are caught out. Where CPC falls apart, though, is in combining the stern parental voice that uses words such as "never" and "liable" and the even more stern voice that admonishes you to always make sure people know where you work and to make sure your readers know you don't speak for them (upon which they are quick to tell you that you could get into trouble even though you've clearly stated you don't speak for them. IANAL doesn't cut it here).
To break it down even further, this desperate need to hold your hand betrays the elementary school mentality I've been noticing at work for some years now. We know better than you, you should listen to us, we can't trust you to make any sensible decisions on your own. Also, we've noticed that some of you have gone off the reservation and we need to get you back, quick, before anybody else notices.
The last sentence of 5 was of special meaning and humour to me. A couple of weeks ago I needed to get in touch with a term employee that I was hoping to coerce into house and dog sitting when my family and I are in the Maritimes. Because I didn't have her phone number, I approached my direct supervisor and asked if she could contact this girl and give her my number, so that she could decide whether or not she wanted to call me. I did this because I know if I were in her situation (young gal, single, quiet) I would want to be able to control the access certain people had to me. Especially people from work. It's a privacy issue. But my supervisor didn't understand this, and just gave me the girl's home and mobile numbers. What that tells me is that either CPC has no official privacy policy as it relates to employees, or else this supervisor did not know of it or did not care about it. Either way, it was an appalling lapse in privacy control, and even safety. What if I was some creepy stalker looking to get back at someone who had spurned my advances?
6 and 7 are quite problematic. It's not my job to add value or protect the brand. I know. I checked the contract. It turns out (and here's a surprise) I'm supposed to deliver the mail. The fact that I do so with a smile on my face, in spite of the BS in the depot, the arthritis in my knees, and the insane quantity of junkmail each day (sorry, unaddressed admail is the preferred parlance) is testament to how important it is to me to represent my job in a positive light when I'm working. But that stops the minute I get home. I don't actively walk around bad-mouthing the idiots who don't know how to run things, at least not every minute of the day. But if someone thinks that I should be all sweetness and light about a corporation whose response to me being physically bullied and intimidated by a supervisor who is larger than me was to transfer him to another depot - with word that he may be transferred back by the end of the month - then they have obviously picked the wrong universe in which to live. My private life is my own life, and strangely enough I'm guaranteed to right to speak my mind. If I choose to bicker about some aspect of work, so be it. If someone at head office has a problem with that, I recommend paying attention and looking for a way to fix things.
8? Of course I'll be accurate. Thanks, Mom.
9 begs the question, What sort of secrets are we talking about? Obviously not private phone numbers. Hell, maybe I could post contact info for all of our management team here online. A precedent has pretty much been set. Canada Post info? It's a crown corporation, which means that, even though it is run like a corporation, there is still a government minister responsible, and therefore there are limits on what it can keep private. Wikipedia, for instance, has a fairly good overview of numbers, none of which can be considered proprietary. As for clients, well, it's none of my business and shouldn't be yours either. I deliver what I'm paid to deliver, and I don't snoop, nor do I let others know what's going in their neighbour's box. But on the flip side, if I were asked to deliver something that was remarkably offensive, I'd likely bring it to management, and when that inevitably didn't work, I'd take it further.
As for 10, well, let me spell out my day for you. I arrive and start sorting at 8:15, and usually no later than 10am I'm out the door (later as Christmas approaches). And then I walk and deliver. I don't take breaks. When I'm done, I go back to the depot, clean up for the next day, then go home. But let me tell you, if life were easier, if they hadn't pushed my start time from 7:45 to 8:15 because they couldn't for the life of them figure out how to get the priority mail to us in time, well then, I'd be living the easy life and would have all the time in the world to post updates to Facebook or my blog.
The problem there, though, is every one of them would be bitching about work. So maybe there's a method to their madness after all. In the meantime, I intend to lead my private life in the fashion I see fit. I won't do anything stupid like discuss doing violence to a member of management (yes, someone I work with once did that. The idiot), but yes, I'll bitch and moan all I want. And if I happen to follow some of those rules, it won't be because Big Brother told me to do so, it'll be because I already know how best to behave online. I'm not the one who's just suddenly stumbled into this strange thing the kids are doing on that great series of tubes.
Labels: Canada Post, idiots, internet, social media, work
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