Latest news with #Muth
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Canada Post avoids crippling strike but not damage to parcel business
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers on Friday implemented a nationwide stoppage on overtime work, averting a full-blown strike that would have shut down mail and package delivery across Canada, after the union received a late contract offer from Canada Post. But the threat of a strike has already done damage to Canada Post's parcel business, and the postal operator said customers may experience delays even with the continuation of operations. In a statement Thursday night, Canada Post said it has already experienced a sharp drop in mail and parcel volumes as customers, fresh from experiencing a five-week strike that ended with government intervention in December, seek alternative carriers or cancel mailings to ensure items don't get stranded in the postal system. The union said it decided to proceed with the overtime ban to minimize disruption to the public and lost pay to members. It is unclear how long the refusal to work overtime will last or if the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) will escalate strike actions. The union earlier this week said it would call a strike Friday without a contract resolution. Canada Post earlier Thursday rejected a CUPW request for a two-week truce so its negotiators could review Wednesday's proposal in detail without a labor disruption, saying union negotiators didn't provide a serious response to its offer during a 30-minute meeting.U.S. and Canadian parcel logistics providers, which consolidate packages heading to the same destination in a single container shipment for efficiency and easier customs clearance, have spent the past couple weeks switching customers from Canada Post to other last-mile carriers in Canada, according to industry professionals. And many shippers have already turned off the U.S. Postal Service pipeline out of worry that packages will get stranded in Canada Post facilities, as happened last year, said Kate Muth, executive director of the International Mailers' Advisory Group. In fact, she added, shipments were trapped beyond the strike period because it took Canada Post a long time to deliver the backlog of mail and packages, leading the U.S. Postal Service to temporarily suspend service to Canada during the holidays. 'It's really going to be very damaging for Canada Post if there is a strike because no one wants to run the risk of this [disruption] happening again. Once stuff moves out of the Canada Post system, people are reluctant to go back,' Muth said in a phone interview. Many small businesses never went back to Canada Post after shifting last-mile carriers in December, unless they absolutely had to to reach very rural areas or post office boxes, echoed Alison Layfield, director of product development at ePost Global, which provides international parcel shipping services for U.S. e-tailers.'We've been extremely busy the last couple of weeks putting into action contingency plans for many of our customers' and reminding them to provide a physical street address rather than a post office box so parcels don't get stuck in the Canada Post network in the event of a strike, she explained. Mail carriers as of Friday will work to the rule, meaning they won't work more than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week. 'Letter Carriers are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours' work, regardless of whether they have completed their routes,' the CUPW said in a notice posted online. Mail carriers in Canada have been working without a new collective bargaining agreement for nearly 18 months as the sides remain far apart on key issues, despite extensive mediation by the federal government. Canada Post said it went further than before on wages, while also making changes to its delivery model aimed at improving efficiency and repairing finances. But it also withdrew some items from its last offer, including a new health benefits plan, changes to employees' post-retirement benefits or enrollment of future employees in the defined contribution pension. Instead it said benefits – such as the defined benefit pension, job security rules, health and retirement benefits and vacation (up to seven weeks) – would stay the same. 'The comprehensive offers we put forward provided increased wages, removed key sticking points and included changes needed to compete in the parcel delivery business. They also reflect the corporation's financial and operational realities,' Canada Post said in a statement. Canada Post has not turned a profit in seven years and last year accepted a $716 million loan from the Canadian government to sustain operations. A big problem is that mail volume has fallen by more than half in the past 20 years. The CUPW made clear its disappointment with the latest offer, saying on its website Wednesday that a wage increase of 13% over four years falls short of the union demand for a 19% increase in base wages to keep pace with the rising cost of living and that a 13.59% cost-of-living allowance is so high that it would never trigger a wage adjustment. It also criticized proposals for part-time workers, route efficiency tools and benefit Post proposed increasing by 20% the number of part-time positions to support parcel delivery in urban areas seven days a week, as provided by other couriers. Currently, about 10% of the parcel delivery workforce is part time. Part-time positions will receive health and pension benefits and guaranteed hours (15 to 40 hours per week). The creation of part-time jobs increases the company's delivery flexibility, especially on weekends, while ensuring that letter carriers aren't required to work weekend shifts, the postal operator said. The union favors full-time jobs. The union objects to Canada Post's plan to make work schedules more flexible, meaning mail carriers might not have the same route every day. The mail provider, for example, also wants to introduce dynamic routing in a limited number of locations, which would allow it to plan and optimize delivery routes daily based on real-time volumes, resulting in more consistent, predictable service for customers. Dynamic routing is commonly used by large, last-mile carriers. The union says rules governing such a system are needed and that Canada Post doesn't have the software or technical ability to apply its route measuring system, which involves measuring mail volume, the time it takes to deliver and other factors to determine the appropriate workload for each route based on logbook entries from carriers. Canada Post also seeks to introduce load leveling, whereby supervisors each morning could transfer mail volumes between workers during scheduled hours without additional compensation. And it wants to delay new hires from receiving health and pension benefits until they complete six consecutive months of regular employment. Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. Small businesses at risk as Canada Post workers prepare to strike The post Canada Post avoids crippling strike but not damage to parcel business appeared first on FreightWaves.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
High School Senior Dies in Crash Just Days Before Graduation: 'Only 2 Miles from Her House', Family Says
Davis High School student Averiee Osmundson, 18, died in a traffic collision near U.S. Highway 77 in Oklahoma, almost a week before her graduation In a statement, her cousin said that she was planning to attend Oklahoma State University on a scholarship 'She could always just put a smile on everybody's face,' said Osmundson's auntA high school student who was about to graduate in a few days was killed in a single-vehicle collision in Oklahoma last weekend. In an incident report obtained by PEOPLE, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) stated that the crash occurred on Saturday, May 10, on Foothill Road about 0.4 miles west of U.S. Highway 77, which is approximately 3 miles north of Springer. The OHP report said that a 2005 Lexus RX330 driven by Averiee Osmundson, 18, was traveling eastbound on Foothill Road. The vehicle departed the roadway to the left when it 'overcorrected reentering the roadway before overturning an unknown amount of times.' The Lexus was ejected 'approximately 78 feet from where the vehicle came to rest,' continued the report. Osmundson, who hailed from Springer, was pronounced dead at the scene following injuries sustained in the crash, according to authorities. Her body was taken to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office. The OHP report also noted that a seatbelt was not in use at the time. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Kegan Muth, Osmundson's cousin, paid tribute to her in a statement shared with KOKH. 'She was more than an 18-year-old graduating high school; she was a beautiful, young, talented girl,' Muth's statement read in part. 'She knew just the right words to say and when to say them. She had a scholarship to attend Oklahoma State University, which she couldn't wait to attend, even if her bubs said to rethink it.' 'She wanted to be a pediatrician,' the statement continued. 'All she ever wanted was to help the ones who needed the help. She always made everyone smile and happy. She didn't see life like everyone else. She saw the bright light in the pitch black dark.' Osmundson was a senior at Davis High School and was scheduled to graduate on Friday, May 16, per CBS affiliate KOTV. Davis Public Schools acknowledged Osmundson's death in a letter shared on Facebook Sunday, May 11. 'This devastating loss will be deeply felt throughout our entire school community, especially among the Senior Class of 2025,' read the letter in part. 'Our deepest sympathy goes out to Averiee's family, friends, and our entire school community,' the letter added. 'Please continue to keep her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.' Cassie Muth, Osmundson's aunt, told KOTV that the family has been shattered by what happened. 'She was only two miles from her house," said Muth. Muth remembered her niece for having an amazing heart. 'She could always just put a smile on everybody's face. She was very adventurous, very outgoing,' Muth said. 'Honestly, I'm still in disbelief that she's been taken from us at such a young age with so much potential and a lot still ahead of her,' she said, per KOTV. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE arrests at Milwaukee courthouse prompt community response
The Milwaukee County Courthouse. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Two people have been arrested at the Milwaukee County Courthouse by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, the sheriff's office said Friday. Although the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) was aware of the first arrest, the office states that it was not given advance notice of the second arrest. MCSO stressed in a statement that it did not participate in either arrest, and that it's 'not uncommon for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to search available databases for upcoming court hearings of individuals they are seeking.' MCSO has not responded to a request for more details. A spokesperson for ICE said the agency was unable to confirm the arrests without additional information about the specific targets. Fears of immigration operations have been heightened since President Donald Trump announced that the government would pursue mass deportations. ICE has made hundreds of arrests in recent months, including of people who were not convicted of any crime and activists who participated in protests on college campuses. Local groups and officials are condemning the arrests at the courthouse. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said that the courthouse 'stands as a cornerstone of justice where residents come to seek information, resources and fair participation in the legal process.' Crowley said that 'an attack on this safe, community-serving space undermines public trust, breeds fear among citizens and staff and disrupts the due process essential to our courts.' Crowley called on local leaders to protect Milwaukee's institutions, as well as due process for people in the judicial process. Tim Muth, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Wisconsin, said in a statement that 'such actions create fear among immigrant members of our community coming to the courthouse to seek justice as crime victims or witnesses.' Muth added, 'Research by the ACLU has shown that when ICE is known to be active in courthouses, members of the immigrant community are less likely to report crimes, less likely to cooperate with police and prosecutors, and less likely to make their court appearances. Our communities become less safe as a consequence.' In 2017, according to the ACLU's 'Freezing Out Justice' report, a survey sample of police officers reported that immigrants appeared less likely to report crimes after immigration operations conducted during Trump's first term. Crime victims and witnesses were reluctant to assist police due to the fear of being deported. Legal service providers who worked with immigrant communities also reported encountering that victims chose to stay in abusive or dangerous situations rather than expose themselves to ICE operations. Muth and the ACLU call on the Milwaukee County court system and sheriff's office to prevent similar actions in the future. 'The last thing we want is to interfere with the legal process or sow doubt in those summoned to the courthouse about whether or not they will receive fair, impartial justice,' said Crowley. 'I will continue working with our partners across the county and state to maintain safety and justice for all.' The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression also condemned the arrests. 'We take this to be a sign of heightened racist and political repression against immigrants,' the Alliance said in a statement. 'Furthermore, we are concerned by the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office acceptance of these arrests, stating that it's not uncommon practice for agencies to access databases of people scheduled to appear before court. There is already very little trust with the MCSO, and now people have to fear for their safety inside the courthouse?' The activist group, which has called for civilian oversight of law enforcement in Milwaukee County, stressed that people use the courthouse for all sorts of reasons, most of which are not related to criminal activity. 'With today's arrests, there is a further stigma placed on immigrants who enter the courthouse, making them feel even more criminalized,' the Alliance said in a statement. 'We need city and county officials like the Sheriff to take a clear stance against ICE operating in Milwaukee. Sheriff [Denita] Ball has the authority to not collaborate with ICE, but this is a sign that she may very well choose to do so.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Feather Alert issued for missing East Bay woman
(KRON) — A Feather Alert has been issued for a missing East Bay woman, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced Thursday. Shavonne Muth, 30, was last seen around 2:30 a.m. on Thursday in Castro Valley. Muth is 5-foot-7 tall, weighs 150 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes, according to CHP. She is believed to be on foot. CHP posted about Muth's disappearance at 7:39 p.m. on X. Oakland kidnapping victim comes forward to police A Feather Alert notifies the public about the potential 'suspicious or unexplainable disappearance of an indigenous woman or indigenous person,' says CHP. CHP says anyone who sees Muth is asked to call 911. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania Senator looks to keep Radium, other waste out of drinking water
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Senator announced plans to introduce a bill that would keep radium out of drinking water in the Commonwealth. The bill, authored by Senator Katie Muth (D – Berks, Chester and Montgomery), would close what is called the 'Leachate Loophole,' which permits unregulated, untreated industrial waste to end up in Pennsylvania drinking water. The loophole allows soluble elements from oil and gas waste, including Radium-226 and Radium-228 as well as decay products of uranium and thorium, to spread unchecked, Muth noted. The legislation noted the clearest example of the issue, Muth argued, was in 2018 when the Belle Vernon Municipal Authority's sewage treatment plant experienced operational issues when its microorganisms stopped working properly. The nearby landfill, Westmorlan Sanitary, had been accpeting solid or and gas waste high in salts, metals and radioactive materials, which was then being processed by the plant. The waste was considered 'detrimental' to the plant's treatment process. 'We must protect every Pennsylvanian's constitutional right to clean water by closing the Leachate Loophole, landfills may not accept or transfer this type of waste to wastewater treatment facilities,' the legislation reads. 'Additionally, this bill would require that all waste streams from conventional and unconventional oil and gas operations be subject to the most stringent, evidence-based radiological testing before leaving a well site.' With over 30 landiflls across Pennsylvania that accept the afformentioned waste and the leachate from the sites entering municipal wastewater facilities daily, it is what Muth called 'imperative' to close the loophole. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
