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Vancouver postal workers walk out over delivery of ‘hate' literature

ROBERT MATAS

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 3:02 PM EST 26/10/06

Canada Post says it will review workers' concerns that they were asked to deliver unaddressed mail they considered homophobic ...Read the full article

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  1. George S from Toronto, Canada writes: Vancouver's postal workers have earned my respect for taking such a humanitarian stand.
  2. Two Cents from Toronto, Canada writes: A big thanks to the postal workers for standing up for the gay community! However, I think they should still deliver the mail in as much as pharmacists must still dispense morning-after pills and justices-of-the-peace may not turn down same-sex couples who want to get married.
  3. Tor Sandberg from Toronto, Canada writes: If thse religious groups put as much time, money and energy into projects dedicated towards love and peace as they put into their efforts of hate towards same-sex couples, the world would be a much better place.
  4. R. Carriere from Maritimes, Canada writes: First we have the Supreme Court trying to make law-now we have unionized postal workers deciding to make and interpret law! What the hell is going on in this country? What next? A foreign law expert leading the country? OOPS!! The only real good decision these union folk could make is to not deliver tax assessments.......
  5. Limbo Land from Canada writes: I don't condone any type of hate mail but the postal workers job is to deliver mail not to assess the literatures worthiness, it's political postion, it's religious postion, it's sexual orientation or whether the views presented in the literature are right or wrong. So, to the postal workers, go back to work and make any complaints about the literature being delivered through other channels not through work stoppage.
  6. j durley from Canada writes: They should all be FIRED on the spot. I bet if it was some left wing propaganda they would all work overtime for free. More and more in Canada we are losing our right to free speech by stunts like this and if Canada Post gives in it will be another brick in the wall against free speech SAD SAD .
  7. jason green from writes: And the Conservatives want to pass a law (DORA) to protect this type of religious bigotry?
  8. Ruth Case from Steeltown, Canada writes: The mail was probably from the Alberta based 'Church of The Big Blue Machine'! Thanks Vancouver postal workers!
  9. Casey Circelli from Canada writes: Mixed feelings - there postal workers should not have a say in what gets delivered and what does not based on content. That's a slippery slope to climb. But there should be a policy in place preventing Canada Post from knowingly distributing hate mail. Knowingly being the key here, as closed mail should not be tampered with for verification/censoring purposes.
    I applaud the decision of the Union to take a moral stand here. But it should never have come to this.
  10. George Malyk from Canada writes: when did postal workers get the authority to read and censor the mail? I believe the police and courts can, not postees.
  11. Philip Smith from Toronto, Canada writes: The posties should stop reading the mail and try delivering it for a change. Given their world-class, break-neck work ethic, I am surprised they had the time to notice - let alone protest - the editorial content of bulk mail.
  12. ERIC prosser from CALGARY, Canada writes: the courts have ruled that printers have to print material that violates their beliefs yet postal workers get to deliver only literature that they agree with I wonder how many people who insist that that govt. officals cannot refuse to marry gay people will also demand that these these govt employees treat everyone equal.
  13. George Malyk from Canada writes: By the way, isn't it illegal for postal carriers to read YOUR mail?
  14. Diane Schweik from EDMONTON, Canada writes: #2 Pharmacists in Alberta can refuse to dispense MAP,and doctors to prescribe it. Ruth Case stop taking cheap shots at Albertans.Not all of us are homophobic,and don't think all Ontarians are homophilic. I wish Canada Post could deliver any mail promptly.The service is pathetic.
  15. Greg R from Canada writes: People drop the partisanship and pay attention! This is a bigger issue than gay marriage. Regardless of your views on homosexuality, religion, or indeed bulk unaddressed mail, this action by CUPW members is a complete breach of the public trust.
    Even bulk, third-class mail addressed to 'Occupant' has been paid for in advance by the sender on the good faith that it will be delivered. This goes for buisnesses, religious groups, and political parties, any one of which someone may find objectionable.
    Unless it is illegal (i.e. child porn) or dangerous (e.g. explosives or anthrax powder), it is solely between the recipient and the sender to decide what is appropriate to mail, not the postal workers.
  16. Michael Tripper from Vancouver, Canada writes: Yes, indeed this is what happens when you protect religious bigotry in law.

    Though I will say I would be pissed to see this garbage in my mail, but I absolutely defend free speech, even stuff like this, and a simple envelope would perhaps have helped this situation.
  17. Glen T from Big Blue Machine, Canada writes: I think I can read stuff in my mailbox and make a decision myself as to whether or not I consider it right or wrong. Just deliver my mail, please. Hate mail and all.
  18. Nova Scotian by the Ocean from Canada writes: #9 - right on -- there should be a policy in place preventing Canada Post from knowingly distributing hate mail. That said, it should not be up to Canada Post employees to have to walk out to stop this kind of garbage from being disseminated. There should be a procedure in place for them to bring disturbing pieces of unaddressed mail to the attention of managament, and the corporation should make a ruling.

    What I'd like to know is: what group sent the stuff out in the first place? Let's identify it!
  19. Joe Liberali from Calgary, Canada writes: This is unaddressed/unsolicited mail. It's not unreasonable to believe that many postal workers also received this piece of mail. Canada Post should never have entered into a contract to deliver this, would we forgive them for distributing holocaust (shoah) denying junk mail?
  20. Michael Owens from Calgary, Canada writes: What exactly was in these deliveries that the posties perceived to be 'hate mail'?
  21. Colin Nicholson from Ottawa, Canada writes: Congratulations to Canada Post workers!

    I am a gay man with three children. At the time of the last debate on same sex marriage I received unaddressed mail that was designed to look like it had been sent from my MP's constituency office. Inside was a diatribe asserting that gays & lesbians are a disease rotting away the roots of society. I complained to Canada Post, but was told that it was not their affair. I also complained to my MP's office, and was told that many other constituents had also complained.

    From this report, it sounds like the folks who have nothing better to do than conjure up hate towards fellow citizens trying to live their lives in peace and security are back to their old tricks. I firmly believe that these people are entitled to their views, and I firmly believe that they are entitled to express their views in the public domain. But the use of Canada Post to disseminate hateful literature, that is designed to enter my home undetected where it can be viewed by my children is far beyond the pale.

    If the target was Muslims, or Jews, or persons of colour, or women, the condemnation would be universal. Gays and lesbians demand the same level of civil regard.
  22. Montreal Guy from Canada writes: fire them immediately
  23. Patrick Dunn from London, Canada writes: Were all 60 'members' willing participants or were some just going along for the smoke break? Let them distribute the material. If it as inflammatory as they say then the public and the public alone will make that decision. I agree that homophobic material has no place in a tolerant society but at the same time neither does another layer of bureaucracy in a burgeoning nanny state!
  24. Robert Lewis from North Vancouver, Canada writes: While it may be laudible that varied members of society have come to have an appreciation for the protection of minorities, it is hardly an appropriate action to essentially try and censor the materials in the mail, let alone society as a whole.

    As the famed French philosipher Voltaire is quoted: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
  25. Chris Hay from Regina, Canada writes: Considering there are laws against disseminating hate literature in this country, I do question why it was left to Postal workers to see the laws enforced, let alone having to take such a drastic measure to force Canada Post to live up to those laws? Why wasn't Canada Post doing its job in the first place? One has to wonder if Canada Post realizes it is in business to provide a service to ALL 33 million Canadians, rather than concentrate on making its profits and operating for the benefit of a few select clients. As for the hate literature coming from a religious group, when did the writings/teachings of Christ, regarding respect for fellow man, love, equality etc suddenly take a turn to hatred, discrimination, greed and violence? It's almost enough to makeone disavow all things Christian, it is.
  26. Geoff Isaac from Canada writes: Why is Canada Post handing out hate literature in the first place??? Of course Postal Workers should not decide what gets mailed and what doesn't. They shouldn't have to. It appears they were doing someone else's job because they couldn't. Good for them.
  27. Ice Rider from Canada writes: How interesting to read the usual suspects slamming union workers -- this time by defending homophobic hate mail. The postal workers are to be congratulated for challenging Canada Post's greedy decision to accept the flyers produced by some group that obviously fears and loathes anyone different from their narrow definition of normal. To do otherwise would have made the posties accessories to a possible hate crime. Given the social conservative bent of the current government, it's a good thing we have the courts and the unions to defend us and the human and economic rights that unions have fought so hard to obtain for working men and women in this country. Now, will the harpercrites -- those so-called champions of law and order -- investigate this hateful group and shut them down? I doubt it. But if they don't, it's further proof the Christian Right is neither.
  28. Bob McDonald from Canada writes: The NeoCons are upset with the postal workers. They hate everyone that doesn't agree with them. Very few Canadians agree with the entire right wing, born again agenda so these NeoCons will have hate almost all of us. These postal workers are just the beginning - the tip of the iceberg - of the 'libby' backlash.
  29. Sam B from Cambridge, Canada writes: First point - the groups sending the mail are pathetic, small-minded, ignorant people needing to fill their empty lives with something.
    Second point - the workers that walked off the job should be fired. And no, this is not double speak. I do not want postal workers censoring mail, full stop. We do have something in Canada called free speech. Free speech does not mean speech that we all agree with, it means anything that does not incite hatred is allowed. Now, as we all know there is a fine line between free speech and hate inciting speech. But, I sure as heck, don't want a postie deciding where that line is (and I have some as relatives!).
  30. Chris Edwards from Greater Sudbury, Canada writes: I am a proponent of gay rights, and a hater of bigotry. This was wrong though - I am a supporter of free speech, and it is not up to a postal worker to decide what constitutes hate literature. I may hate the message and dislike the messenger, but the only proper thing to do would have been to file a grievance and start the process to have the literature examined by the courts. If it truly was hate literature, then society would have been better served by this approach, as it would have allowed the prosecution of the makers of the alleged hate propaganda, not just the non-delivery of a few hundred copies, most of which would have either made it directly into the trash, or been preaching to the converted. I understand the postal worker's desire to make a statement - sometimes, however, standing by your convictions means you have to sacrifice. Their sacrifice seems to have involved taking a fifteen minute break under the protection of their union. I find myself in an unusual position - I am agreeing with those who say they should have been disciplined, if not sacked. The only comfort I take is that it is probably for different reasons.
  31. Stephen Bosch from Calgary, Alberta, Canada writes: I love how comment forums attract reactionary buffoons. Just like phone-in shows. Some people have way too much free time.

    We're all free in this country. The religious right is free to mail hateful literature, and the posties are free to refuse to deliver it.

    If I were a postie, I wouldn't deliver it either. We have a hate law in this country, and for good reason. Nobody's work responsibilities are an excuse for breaking the law.

    Here's to people with the guts to stick to their principles. They seem to be in short supply these days.
  32. Randal Oulton from Toronto, Canada writes: If one were to delete out the gay topic for a minute, and swap in instead it being stuff about black or Asian people (which thankfully it wasn't), or maybe make it stuff about white people being sent out by the Black Aryan Nation, it would be interesting to speculate whether many of the above posters might moderate their position and go, hey, good for the union? That being said, it's also understandable why so many people are anti whatever Canada Post union does. The union is so powerful that it knows it doesn't need any friends, and so hasn't bothered to make any amongst its broad stakeholder base.
  33. Xaos Calgarian from Calgary, Canada writes: It is not the responsibility of Canada Post, the Union, or the workers to determine what will or will not be delivered. I empathize with their situation totally, but at the same time find it offensive that these people made the decision to impose their own personal views to censor information. It is a very slippery slope; by allowing this Canada Post is placing its workers in a position to determine what and what not to deliver.

    A good question to ask is why is it falling to a Public Service to deliver this and other unaddressed mail? Why does Canada Post deliver advertisements--commercial, religious, politcal or otherwise? This puts them, in my opinion, into the same arena as telemarketers or spammers, except your tax dollars pay for it.

    Please go back to delivering NORMAL mail and allow individuals to make their own choices as to what to read or not. If you are going to begin to censor the flow of information, perhaps start with the 20 lbs. of flyers I receive weekly.
  34. rev. lynn from toronto, Canada writes: Kudos to the Canada Post workers! Considering hate propaganda is a crime (while left-wing propaganda is not, #6!), it's only sensible that if the posties know that something illegal is being delivered through the mail service, they should halt delivery.

    If the posties knew there was Anthrax or a letter bomb in an envelope, would you also say they should be fired if they don't deliver it to the adressee?

    Also, as the mail was unaddressed, I don't see how they were reading any specific person's mail... so I don't have a problem with that, either.
  35. Megan J from Surrey, Canada writes: It is the postal workers job is to 'deliver mail not to assess the literatures worthiness'.

    And as another writer said above, 'As the famed French philosipher Voltaire is quoted: I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.'

    Deliver the mail and be done with it.
  36. Pete H from Canada writes: Who gets to decide what is or isn't hate mail. Has any poster here seen the offensive material, or is it up to the 'bigot police' to predetermine that Vancouver postal workers are qualified to make this judgement. What other authority should we give them, or perhaps more importantly, what authority have they taken without our knowlege.
  37. John Smith from Montreal, Canada writes: It is only because of the political correctness that we tolerate these lunatics. If there were less ignorant people and less simple-minded fools ready to defend their mythology, religions would have long been considered as a neurological disorder. So instead of providing them treatments, we allow them to flourish and indoctrinate other people (often at young age) and the vicious circle continue.
  38. Sibley M from St. John's, Canada writes: There seems to be a very fine line here with free speech issues. So now the posties want to censor the mail I receive??
  39. Wilf Smith from Quesnel, BC, Canada writes: The whole concept of a union, as I see it, is twofold. One, a union bargains collectively for it's members and two, it acts as an advocate for it's individual members, if they get into some kind of trouble on the job. Sometimes, however, a union will see an action by the employer as unacceptable. Because an individual will be dealt with quickly and harshly by a nefarious employer, the individual cannot protest by withdrawing his or her labour. Collective withdrawal of services makes the employer take such action seriously and with a promise of action. Collectively we are strong, individually we are weak. Long live the labour movement and kudos for all unions who fight the moral fight.
  40. eric budgell from Canada writes: your right with the assumption that the workers should delivery it and not read it but is it a sealed document that they opened or a open publication?
    if its open and offensive to deliver then they should refuse ...why do you think sex mags are in brown evelopes..!!
    yes i agree with freedom of speech in every situation but there are laws in place to to respect everyones right regardless of the opinion.
    if the group who,isnt claiming responsiblity for the article,wants their message to be heard there are other avenues for them to take religious or otherwise
  41. Canadian Patriot from United States writes: What about the poor trees who were sacrificed to make the paper on which this bigotry was printed? Don't the trees have a say in this?
  42. Laura Dover from Calgary, Canada writes: I do agree that they should not be the ones to decide. But they should at least be able to send back for assessment the mail that they perceive to be hate mail. I mean, if hate mail is illegal (is it?), then there will have to be judgement calls along the way, and why should the person handling accounts for the post office be the only one whose opinions matter. Personally, I would prefer not to receive mass-mailings or hear from telemarketers from any religion. I like religions to have a bit more self-respect.
  43. Proud Canadian from Canada writes: Can you imagine what would happen if the postal employees stopped delivering all mail that was found offensive to some. They should not be the censors. I find my Income tax forms offensive yet they still get delivered.
  44. Lynn Cassan from Ottawa, ON, Canada writes: Dear Sir,

    Canada Post cannot have it both ways - the great advantages of a monopoly to deliver the mail and the ability to pick and choose who they serve. I'd be overjoyed to see the monopoly fully disappear but given that the political will is to look away from the commercial, statutory and union abuses of that organization, rather than dismantle it altogether, it had better shape up or face its demise by a Court of law.

    'Holy Cow' - what can we expect not to be delivered next? A medical publication of Margaret Somerville because the union thinks her views are homophobic? A paper by Irshad Manji because it offends some Muslin members of the union?

    The actions of the union are, truly, something that can be characterized as offensive. Not to mention unlawful and wholly self-centered.

    Lynn S. Cassan
  45. - - from Toronto, Canada writes: There are laws against inciting hate in this country. Just as an obvious death threat sent through Canada Post would be investigated, so should this.
  46. Trevor Fenton from Ottawa, Canada writes: I love how everyone in this thread is taking such strong positions on this issue, yet NONE of you has even seen the material or even knows what group it comes from. Given this, how can you possibly take an informed position, one way or the other!?
  47. Betty Davis from Toronto, Canada writes: I find it disturbing that the postal workers feel they have the right to censor the mail. They should do the job they are paid to do. The recipient can decide whether or not to read it.
  48. Ranald Walton from Hamilton, Canada writes: This is scary! Replacing the interpretation of the courts with the whims of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers as to what constitutes 'hate' literature is truly, truly scary given that the postal service has a government granted monopoly in the delivery of first class mail. The individuals should be fired if they are not going to do their job (deliver mail). Free speech means having the right to say things that are 'wrong'. The alternative is a facist, politically correct, cesspool which we are quickly becoming.
  49. j boland from United States writes: So much for such trivial matters as liberty. Easy come, easy go, eh?
  50. J Luft from Calgary, Canada writes: Oh so now some unionized left wing postal worker will be the one to determine what is and what is not 'hate literature'. Absolutely unbelievable. It is not up to some union hack to make that determination. Any postal worker who decides to not deliver should be summarily fired.
  51. Me You from Calgary, Canada writes: One crucial question is what the 28-page booklets actually said. Were there incitements to murder? To lynch? Where there other statements contrary to Canadian Hate Crime legislation? I agree that Canada Post should distribute what they are paid to distribute, but if the materials are in any way illegal, then it is entirely appropriate to refuse to carry them lest Canada post be implicated in inciting hate.
  52. E R from Essex County, Canada writes: Dear #3 the only hate going on is the hatred of the homosexual agenda against anyone that does not share your views and this is a perfect example. These posties as many have already said are to deliver the mail not read it and decide whether to deliver it, not to become a law unto themselves. I would not doubt that these posties are a mostly homosexuals anyway probably even Christian haters to begin with. These people need to be charged with obstruction of the mail and jailed or heavily fined and the union that supported them also.
  53. Cymry am Byth Canada Hefyd from Canada writes: j durley from Canada writes: They should all be FIRED on the spot. I bet if it was some left wing propaganda they would all work overtime for free. You assume that gay hating literature is probably right wing literature. That assumption is almost certainly correct. You assume that ALL postalworkers are on the left politically. I think that assumption is incorrect. I assume that you are a Conservative and that you hate gays. And I pity you.
  54. Job of the book from Canada writes: On theone hand... good for them for taking a stand. On the other hand... people do have a right to say their piece and send it out. However, people also have a right not to be harrassed by it. Maybe the rule should be that this material has to be enclosed in some kind of packaging like a large envelope, and it has to be addressed so that people know 'oh... it's from a religious group.' and can then just throw it out. Or how about just NOT delivering mail that doesn't have a return address? I think that could work. I just don't want a precedent whereby the post office can decide what is and isn't sent out, that's not their job. But if their rules are that the flyers or what ever have to be enclosed in something with a return address so that it isn't so in your face... that would be fine.

    On the same subject... will this lead to laws about door to door religious salesmen? I find them endlessly annoying. The only good thing about them is when I can squeeze out some entertainment value by being down right unpleasant to them, demeaning their religious views and reasons for coming to my door, and bassically being all out hostile without getting physical. Hey... you come to my door to try and push your religion on me, prepare for an ear full. I'd like to see a stop to that. I don't care if it's your religious belief to go spread the word, we've outlawed other religious beliefs before on grounds ranging from 'barbarism' to its infringement on other peoples rights. I'd say this infringes my right to be free of harrassment, just as that anti gay propoganda infringes on the right sof the Gays who receive it.
  55. Andrew Skujins @ www.skuj.com from Aurora, Canada writes: #7 writes: 'And the Conservatives want to pass a law (DORA) to protect this type of religious bigotry?'... While I don't personally approve of hate literature, isn't freedom of speech more precious than the right not to be offended by it? Canada Post is a government agency, regulated by the Constitution which entitles Canadians to free speech. Why are you afraid?
  56. Andrew E from Calgary, Canada writes: The union at Canada Post has, in not delivering contracted unaddressed mail, basically appointed itself arbiters of what Canadians consider hate speech. Consequently, I will be sending my union local a list of special-interest groups whose agendas and subject matter I find objectionable. I anticipate that in the same spirit applied in Vancouver, I shall see no more mail from any of these organizations.

    A sales representative from Canada Post agreed that the material in question would be delivered by letter carriers for a specific cost per unit... just like much of the junk mail we get. The Globe should be asking Canada Post to explain how their members could breach a legally-binding contract, and asking the union membership if they plan on financially compensating the organization whose material they censored. THAT would be an excellent and newsworthy piece of journalism.
  57. grover station from Hamilton, Canada writes: I am sure these postal workers believe they did a good deed by censoring what they considered to be inappropriate. They are however doing us a disservice; they are telling us that they feel we, the recipients of this mail, are not capable of deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong.

    We cannot escape the negativity of others; we can only strengthen ourselves to be unaffected by it and help others to achieve the same immunity.

    Had this mail been delivered, people would hopefully have realized that the sender of this mail is in a great deal of pain, and needs our help and compassion.
  58. R L from Canada writes: Stephen Harper and the Con. party must be very upset that homophobic hate spam was blocked!
  59. Chris Edwards from Greater Sudbury, Canada writes: #31 - Wrong. For one thing, we don't know if it was hate literature - that is an assumption being made by people like yourself on this board who are all for free speech as long as they agree with what is being said. If it was hate literature and Canada Post accepted their money and agreed to deliver it, that is a larger problem. You are correct that the religious right had the right to send out this mail (BTW, I don't like them either), but you are wrong to state the posties had the right to refuse to do their jobs - they have the right to QUIT on principle, but not the right to not perform their duties and still expect to be paid. To those making the point that if this were any other minority group it would be different - that may be true. And it could be prosecuted, just as this can be if it is virulent enough. Those who wish to restrict the right to say things they do not like must remember the corollary -if GLAAD decides to put out a newsletter and Christian posties decide not to deliver it - is that o.k.? If we can play with free speech to suit our own ends, what happens when the shoe ends up on the other foot?
  60. John FitzGerald from Toronto, Canada writes: I've read 26 entries here, of which one (Michael Owens', #20) is interested in what exactly the hate speech in this mailing consisted of. Are the mailers going to be charged with hate speech? Not even the reporter was interested in finding out. What does the union contract say about this issue? And is this just another example of crappy labour-management realtions at the post office? The article seems to suggest that. Would I have delivered this mail if I were a postie? Depends on what was in it. I hate the hate speech laws, but there are still ideas whose dissemination I don't intend to promote. If I didn't deliver the mail, though, I wouldn't be surprised if I was disciplined.
  61. Steve Durant from Toronto, Canada writes: Fire them? With the exception perhaps of those at the bottom of the fast-food chain ladder, Canadian workers have to do a lot more than take an extra 15 minute break to lose their jobs - with or without a union! It's sad that people have more sympathy for hate mailers than the mothers and fathers who bring us cheques, magazines, useful information and, yes, our tax assessments.

    Management has delivered far more than fifteen minutes worth of mail in strikes and lockouts. They could have delivered this mail, but probably feared - like their employees - that they would wind up in court.

    Censoring? The posties refused to deliver the literature out of conscience, and management wants to review it out of decency, but who actually burned it or dumped it in English Bay? As far as I know, no one. The bigots can go out to Vancouver and dump their own hatemail. Let them get charged and let our postal service get on with delivering the 99.999 per cent of mail that isn't hateful.

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