Sure they are, but it's not inappropriate to highlight their 35 hour week as being one of the issues most important to them. The union presented a list of concessions it was willing to make, and a 40 hour work week wasn't part of their list. So the union has said, at least for now, that they're not willing to consider a 40 hour work week as part of negotiations.

Probably because they already work a 40hr work week. My friend works 4x10hr shifts a week. I don't know where you learned that, but it's not true. I think you're pushing an agenda without actually understanding the context of the situation.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1335913-newsroom-union-at-halifax-chronicle-herald-files-48-hour-strike-notice It's always refreshing when a union will throw young workers under the bus to protect the benefits of their existing membership. While at the same time new workers don't have the option to opt out of the union that threw them under the bus.

The union voted 98.3% in favour of striking. That includes the younger members, so you seem to be implying that the younger members are in favour of throwing themselves under the bus?

This is also comical. Pensions aren't savings accounts. You pay into them while you work with the understanding that the people who replace you will pay into the pension to support you.

You may not understand how pensions work. Let me explain the specific circumstances the Herald is in.

The Herald must be able to fulfill its current pension obligations at any given point in time. If the company were to fold tomorrow, it would be responsible for funding the pension so that each person would receive the same amount as if they were retiring at this point in time. That's the agreement they have set up. Whether or not they have the money is a different issue, but it's still on the books as a liability. These guys obviously want to sell, and by changing the pension they are looking to get rid of that liability to make the books look better.

Employers contributing to a pension plan is a benefit not a right, and a rare one that the vast majority of Canadians don't get.

This is the most annoying sentiment, and one all too many people share. Guess what? The company agreed to those conditions on the pension. If I make an agreement with you, I can't fuck off because it doesn't suit me any more, especially if you're depending on me actually paying you. Maybe you don't have the opportunities the Herald workers have, but that doesn't mean they don't have the right to fight for what was agreed on, or that they shouldn't try.

They're going to receive 13,000 a year less than before? Too bad.

Jesus, do you have no empathy? Do you not see how that could be a huge financial blow regardless of how effectively they diversify their retirement? These are just middle class people, and $13000 is a lot of money. The Herald will eventually go out of business, and probably soon. Sarah Dennis and Mark Lever won't be hurting for money when that happens, but all the employees will, so fuck them for trying to hang on to what they can, right?