what would you have done

[Craig.]

I found this story quite amusing, and it got me to thinking, who made the right desicion these 10 postmen or the rest who did deliver? from what i have read elsewhere the windchill made temps roughly -70F if not colder. i know i would take my chances with the boss than with that sort of weather.

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Ten Canadian letter carriers who refused to deliver the mail in temperatures hovering around minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) could be disciplined, officials said on Friday.

 

Canada Post said it was probing why the employees in the city of Hull, in Quebec, had decided conditions were unbearable when other letter carriers around the country had coped with even worse temperatures.


"They decided it was too cold and didn't work so we're investigating to see if they followed all the procedures or not," said spokesman John Caines.


"We've experienced extreme cold right across the country this year. Of all of our letter carriers -- and there are more than 20,000 -- these are the only 10 who have refused to work."


Caines said letter carriers were given training on how to deal with the cold and were given special boots, hats and winter coats. Carriers who could not find somewhere to warm up could request a delivery van to take shelter in, he added.

Credit yahoo/reuters

[Politically Incorrect]

It's hard to say?
I personally won't do anything for any boss that i think might endanger my wellbeing or anyone else's. And as a result have lost a couple of jobs, but won a couple of lawsuits:)
I tend to be bothered by a employer who thinks that money is more imortant than the health and saftey of his/hers employees. Or the Employer who thinks he is "above" all others. Did the employer deliver anything?
Then of course you might have 10 rebelious employees just trying to stir things up, 10 out of 20,000 is quite a minority, or there just might be 19,990 to afraid to make a stand.
Personally I wouldn't do it if I feared for my well being no matter what threats were handed down from the boss!!

[BFMF]

I tend to be bothered by a employer who thinks that money is more imortant than the health and saftey of his/hers employees. Or the Employer who thinks he is "above" all others.

Sounds like my boss.

A total jerk

[Hagar]

Well, I know I wouldn't want the job. Without the full facts I think they should have consulted their supervisors or union reps before doing anything on their own. Perhaps they did this. I really don't know. I assume the Canada Post is like our own Royal Mail or whatever they call it these days (Why is everything you can possibly think of suddenly so confusing? ). There is a old tradition that the mail must get through.

I did spot that these people are called "letter carriers" whatever that is. Is this the latest non-gender-specific term (I just made that up) for a postman? If so, it's hardly job-descriptive is it?. I'm sure they don't carry letters around all day. I thought the idea is that they deliver them at some point.

The old Marvelettes song, later recorded by the Beatles, the Carpenters & various other artists doesn't have quite the same ring to it now. "Please Mr Letter Carrier". I don't think so somehow.

[Politically Incorrect]

.

I did spot that these people are called "letter carriers" whatever that is. Is this the latest non-gender-specific term (I just made that up) for a postman? If so, it's hardly job-descriptive is it?. I'm sure they don't carry letters around all day. I thought the idea is that they deliver them at some point.

Here in the States we used to call them Mailmen (Mailman) but obviously that isn't correct any more not to metion Mailwoman is a oxymoron
But I do hear that there are Malewomen though! or is that Shemales?  ;D
And the idea of delivering them at some point is true!
I just recived a letter from my dad that was postmarked Aug 9 2003. I got it this past Tuesday! So that is true eventually you'll get it.

[Craig.]

lol. femail man.
having worked in a supermarket freezer which gets down to -30*c for a few hours i can understand why the refused. your eyes litterally freeze close same goes for the nose. it just saps your energy from you. I couldnt imagine working in those conditions plus the wind snow or rain. I really dont blame them

[Hagar]

[quote]Here in the States we used to call them Mailmen (Mailman) but obviously that isn't correct any more not to metion Mailwoman is a oxymoron
But I do hear that there are Malewomen though! or is that Shemales?

[Politically Incorrect]

LMAO You can see the difficulty these people get themselves into when they try reinventing a language that's taken 100s if not 1,000s of years to evolve.

I know I'm a silly old fool but I always thought of postman, mailman, chairman, whatever as non-gender-specific. They all contain the word MAN just as the word woMAN does itself. Does this mean they're working on changing that too?

No not silly or a fool, old (well i won;t go there  ;)  )
I too have always thought of it as non-gender but I guess there has to be one in every crowd.

We could call them Mailits, Chairits, postits (opps! that one is already taken

Or how about "things" ? The Postthing delivered my 1001 ways to enjoy Pud today.  ;D

That is what we can do to solve all this , instead of ending a word with "man/men" we can use "thing" It is generic !

[Hagar]

[quote]We could call them Mailits, Chairits, postits (opps! that one is already taken

Or how about "things" ? The Postthing delivered my 1001 ways to enjoy Pud today.

[Politically Incorrect]

That is an idea of course. We used to call our postman Postie. In fact I still do. I suppose that's too easy. LOL

I can remember my Grandmother calling them Posties!!
I don't know where the term originated from? But she was born and raised here in the US but I don't think it came from here?

[Hagar]

As our "letter carriers" have been called postmen since the time of the Penny Black I assume the name originated in Britain. Postie is a natural shortened form of postman. We've always been fond of that sort of thing over here.

"Good Morning Mr/Mrs/Miss Postie - & how are you this fine morning?" "I'm quite well, thank you Sir/Madam". That's how it used to be. I sometimes hanker for the old days.

[terbert]

Hi,

My boss would not make me go out  even if it was plus 5 degrees let alone minus 70!!! He is kind, caring, and would have me stay in bed. So you see, not all bosses are bad



Oh, sorry, I forgot to say, I am Self Employed

Sorry chaps, couldn't resist

Tony C

[Loafing Smurf]

I live in Ottawa and it was hovering around minus 40. I did wonder how letter carriers put up with it. Walking around in the streets dropping letters.

I walk five blocks to and back to my school, its only 10 minutes. I wear a winter jacket.

Some of the glass doors are competely covered in frost. I'm surprised they are not frozen shut. They really remind you of a door from Hoth in Star Wars.