More Union Madness

Since I have been composing my prelude to Labour Day this week (Labou-A-Palooza?), today I offer the struggles of a different union:

When word came down in mid-August that Edmonton-based medic, Cpl. Andrew James Eykelenboom, had been killed in a fiery suicide attack south of Kandahar, Scugog Councillor Lynn Philip Hodgson, author of seven historical war books, including Inside Camp X, decided to do the right thing and lower the flag to half mast.

It was a Saturday.

The municipal office in Port Perry was closed and therefore no union employees were on site.

"It only takes two minutes to lower a flag," says Hodgson.

And that, my friends, is a grievable offense. Even I, who work in a strong union environment; who sees this kind of stuff all the time; who knows don't flip a light switch, don't pick up somebody else's trash; don't ever - EVER - cross the line of demarcation, even I am surprised at the callousness of this one:

"The members of (our local) totally support and respect the lowering of the flags at the township offices to half mast to recognize fallen soldiers, and other losses that occur both outside and within our community," says Drebit (local CUPE president Liz Drebit ) "This was never the issue behind this grievance."

"When the collective agreement has been violated, the correct procedure is that a grievance be filed to resolve the issue at hand and hopefully to prevent any future oversights."

And these people want to re-make our society in their own image? Pray they never succeed.

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