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[Steph C]

So now I have this mental image.. of many trucks around the country.. all of a sudden 5pm it's imperative they take off to where? To arrive when? ;D oh the mystery. Is it kind of like when an Airplane has to do their push back at a certain time?

 

[scos]

So now I have this mental image.. of many trucks around the country.. all of a sudden 5pm it's imperative they take off to where? To arrive when? ;D oh the mystery. Is it kind of like when an Airplane has to do their push back at a certain time?

In the case of air mail is would be exactly like that!

 

[Steph C]

So anyways, I've been reading about this proposed job action and seeing if I can get some facts off the internet and try and see how this would potentially affect us.

From their website at http://pafso.com/fs_action.php
---------
Canada’s diplomats are in a legal strike position

The 1,350 members of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers form the
backbone of our country’s diplomatic service, working in Ottawa, across Canada, and in more
than 170 locations around the world. We are Canada’s frontline abroad.

Foreign Service officers…

create Canadian jobs and build prosperity by providing critical support for Canadian businesses

defend Canada by ensuring the integrity of our immigration system and working to eliminate immigration fraud

protect Canadians by providing critical analysis and support in times of crisis, war and disaster around the world

promote Canadian values abroad, including through such projects as working to end forced marriage, protecting LGBT rights, and ending the trade in conflict minerals

reunite families and promote trade, tourism, and academic and cultural exchanges by operating Canada’s system of visitor, student and business visas.

In recent contract negotiations, the Government of Canada has proposed to keep paying us
much less than workers who do similar jobs in federal government offices in Canada. In some
cases, these workers make as much as $10,000 more than us, even though they don’t face the
same challenges that we do. Our families must regularly move homes, our children must
constantly change schools, our spouses must quit their jobs, we risk our safety and health in
hazardous environments, and we miss countless birthdays and other special moments with
friends and family while living for months or years at a time in war zones and disaster areas.

For Foreign Service officers and our families, these sacrifices are simply part of our work as
professionals. We’re not complaining. And we have made major concessions in contract
negotiations, recognising that every Canadian has to do their part in these tough economic
times.

We are proud of the work we do, serving Canadians every single day – building Canadian
prosperity, operating Canada’s immigration system, and defending Canadian values.

But equality and fairness are also Canadian values. And after eight years of unfair wage gaps,
it’s time for the government to provide Foreign Service officers with equal pay for equal work.

We regret the inconvenience that job action may cause. But we hope you understand our
reasons for taking these steps. Thank you.

--------

Note the line that says "reunite families and promote trade, tourism, and academic and cultural exchanges by operating Canada’s system of visitor, student and business visas."

Visitor, student and business visas.. hm, so not PR or family class visas? But they did include the old 'reunite families' cliche. I wonder if we would be affected after all? I would deem spousal reunification to be an essential service.. but not visitor's visas, economic visas or student visas. But maybe that's just bias

This other article from Macleans goes further in to depth by stating:
This is the third labour dispute in a little over a decade, Edwards told me. In 2001 foreign-services officers struck for a pay increase. In 2005 they had a job action much like the one they’re undertaking now.
http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/04/03/canadas-diplomats-in-legal-strike-position/

Can anyone find reference to the aforementioned strikes? I have started googling to see if there was any data on how this affected visa applications in the past. I didn't find any references to it yet.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

So my point being if they close at 5 then why even let people in? Why not shut the door at 4:45. That's the part that makes no sense. It sounds awfully military! I didn't know the whole mail system was riding on a 5pm sharp deadline.. lol. When I sent out our application I must have also been close to that deadline. They were actually nice enough to hold the truck and I carried it out to the driver and watched my application drive away. I wasn't expecting that nice service at all.. the same the other day. It's not an act of laziness getting to the post office at 5pm. Most people work 9-5 and although I'm not held strictly to those hours it's often the case for me as well.

Sure, I'm self employed and I love it. But it does mean that my personal name and reputation are on the line for good results and accurate deadlines. It means no union hours or benefits at all. And no colleague has the right to tell me what to charge or how to conduct my business, as much as they would love to. And it's exactly what I signed up for. I love it and I work my butt off.. there's nothing better then being able to be totally self sufficient and proud of your work.

Go to a restaurant and try to order a meal 10 minutes before they close and see if they let you in to sit down for and hour to get fed.

5PM is end of day which means that at 5PM across the country you have mail pick ups by the 10's of 1000's. That also means for most postal workers that is the end of their shift or pretty close to it. They have worked their 8 hours and now have families or second jobs to get to. For those of us who clear that mail we have to fight the traffic to get back to the plant to unload our trucks before the next connection is missed.
When I was working out of the Scarborough MSC plant in Toronto and didn't get back in time to unload before the next connecting out going trunks we would then have to drive it ourselves to Mississauga. That means another 1.5 hours to Mississauga in rush hour traffic to get to Gateway then another hour to unload it by yourself since their is no dock crew and another 1.5 hours to drive back to Scarborough, park your truck and do your paperwork then an hour to drive home. So my day was to end at 6pm and now I am walking through my door at home at 11pm. Still have to make dinner and do domestic stuff at home and get a decent night's sleep before going in and doing it all over again tomorrow.
People never seem to consider the big picture. Only their small part of it. Today maybe it was you showing up at 5Pm. Tomorrow it will be someone else and the next day someone else etc. Everyday people leave it to the last minute. It wasn't important for them to get there in a reasonable amount of time but it sure is the most important thing when they see the postal worker clear the mail out and drive off at 5pm.

I have waited for people but it never, never ends. You will always get delayed and that ends up adding on you your day. Why should I have to pick up the time that you wasted? If you can't get to the post office by 5pm then don't blame the post office for that.

All that being said I would wait for your mail before I left only because you have been a great help to me here on this forum

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Can anyone find reference to the aforementioned strikes? I have started googling to see if there was any data on how this affected visa applications in the past. I didn't find any references to it yet.

I haven't been able to find anything on strikes but he could have just used the wrong term and meant job action. Currently I believe they may be working to rule. They are doing their work but going by the book and I'm sure the book is out of date.

 

[Steph C]

Good Morning Manila! It's still early morning and the Roosters are sleeping with their heads tucked under their wings. Mr. Steph C has also just finally to bed after a productive night with rum and pollutan at the table in the driveway with his friends! As one does..
Which means I can turn off the internet! Wahooo.. Before I do, here's last week's update

Last week seemed quiet (don't they all?) but there was some very nice news. Emrn finally got her visa! It makes me happy on a personal note because she also applied as Conjugal. We exchanged some text messages while I was in the Philippines last year and she is very nice and deserves to be with her man finally. ;D yay

Last week we saw our first August applicant get their visa, and the first September applicant to get their PPR. Things are moving very quickly for you August applicants and I'm happy for you! It looks like my favourite username Huggypoo will get her visa next week after a DM today! Congrats to all, and a special Mabuhay to Poseidon64 who lands today !


Monday, April 1

PPR - clossycan, melvingai (July) Nat2 (August)
Visa - janrhei, ksad (July)

Tuesday, April 2

PPR - izalorain03 (June), JJM601 (July)
Visa - Emrn (Sept 2011)

Wednesday, April 3

Visa - augustrush (August)

Thursday, April 4

Sponsor Approval - Daantaat, Faye (March)
PPR - jhona30 (June) iamFides (August)
DM - iamFides (August)
Visa - melvingai (July)

Friday, April 5

PPR - mynboi6768 (September)

Sunday

DM - Huggypoo (August)
Landed - Poseidon64 (June)

TOTALS:

PPR - 8
DM - 2
Visa - 5
Landed - 1

LAST WEEK:
PPR - 4
DM - 5
VISA - 0
LANDED - 2

LAST WEEK X 2:
PPR - 8
DM - 0
VISA - 4
LANDED - 1

LAST WEEK X 3:
PPR - 5
DM - 7
VISA - 9
LANDED - 4

THE WEEK BEFORE THAT
PPR - 5
DM - 1
VISAS - 9
LANDED - 4

THE WEEK BEFORE THAT WEEK
PPR - 11
DM - 7
Visas - 5
Landed - 6

THE WEEK BEFORE THAT WEEK'S WEEK
PPR - 6
DM - 9
VISA - 11
LANDED - 1

 

[Dan_from_Surrey]

You need to grab that rooster by the head and swing him a round a few times, and see who he predicts this weeks lucky applicant(s) will be ;D

 

[gortandmugs]

You need to grab that rooster by the head and swing him a round a few times, and see who he predicts this weeks lucky applicant(s) will be ;D

Hey Dan ...What a stinkin wait... Our 1 st ann is May 7/13...don,t look I,ll be with my lady by then... the way things are moving you and I look like we might get a PPR by that time... 207 days for me.... Lets just hope our PPR is soon... the average is 183 days.... no one has waited that long yet... I don,t wanna start anything with the immigration office in Hamilton..or my MP since we are so close but if they say they review app as they come in then... why are we being passed by others... don,t make sense....

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Hey Dan ...What a stinkin wait... Our 1 st ann is May 7/13...don,t look I,ll be with my lady by then... the way things are moving you and I look like we might get a PPR by that time... 207 days for me.... Lets just hope our PPR is soon... the average is 183 days.... no one has waited that long yet... I don,t wanna start anything with the immigration office in Hamilton..or my MP since we are so close but if they say they review app as they come in then... why are we being passed by others... don,t make sense....

Any inquiry made is recorded.

 

[gortandmugs]

Any inquiry made is recorded.

no wonder it takes so long...they are to busy recording things than looking at applications...Your PPr should be very soon.... the only thing that scares me is there are so many in sept /oct same day waiting.... looks like I,m off to Manila again... for our 1st ann... and still can,t ask my embassy while I,m there anything..even a visitors visa I would not try... even though they know she has to go back for her PPR....they make it look like I,m going to hide her here... Regulation 179.... they make 75.00 a application and decide in 5 days... turn them all down.... so not just the application fee we pay at 1040.00 but all the fees visitors pay that are turned down... about 40 a day.... The CEM hires a company in the fils to make that decision.... go on you tube and punch in Reg 179..it will knock your socks off... Olivia Chow talks all about it....

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

I JUST HOPE THE COMPUTERS WORK THIS MORNING 8) 8) 8) THE COMPUTERS WILL TELL THEM THAT MY APPLICATION IS NXT INLINE THIS MORNING BRING FORWARD Date april 8, i wonder if it will make any difference, or will my application just be shoved under the new ones coming in?????

 

[Steph C]

I JUST HOPE THE COMPUTERS WORK THIS MORNING 8) 8) 8) THE COMPUTERS WILL TELL THEM THAT MY APPLICATION IS NXT INLINE THIS MORNING BRING FORWARD Date april 8, i wonder if it will make any difference, or will my application just be shoved under the new ones coming in?????

They need your application to stand on top of, so that they can reach those August apps way up on the shelf!

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

[quote author= ;D YES 8) 8)

8) 8) 8) 8) and yours is probably under mine BUT IF I DONT HEAR ANYTHING THIS WEEK MY MP WILL BE CALLING NEXT MONDAY, IM SURE THAT WILL GIVE THEM A KICK IN THE ASS :-*

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

They need your application to stand on top of, so that they can reach those August apps way up on the shelf!

WHEN THOSE AUGUST APPLICANTS WERE PUTTING IN THIER APPLICATION TO MISSISSAUGUA I HAD ALREADY WAITED PATIENTLY THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME THEY HAVE WAITED NOW.

 

[jarry96]

The consumer today is a joke. Corporations lie to you about everything with the blessing of the government. Do you realize in the latest emergency funding bill in the US they snuck in a provision allowing GMO crops to be sold even if there are lawsuits pending regarding their safety? Do you know how hard it is to know what you are eating or drinking because business lobbies government to make sure they don't have to print it on the labels? Do you know that various food programs like school lunches and others are used as dumping grounds for cheap, GMO food?

Where the "consumer is king" we have lots of market choices. We can demand top quality at the lowest prices.

I take my steak rare with extra growth hormones on the side. ;D If I don't like the steak they will take it back and grill a new one, no problem. When there are many steakhouses competing for your patronage they know they have to cater to the customer or they will go out of business.