The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

PAGE 4, WF!DNESDAY, AUGUST 12. 1981, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby wr Published every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography inc. Phone 669-6111 .% -- .. .. . Voice of the County Town Michael Ian Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor Ibe only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. L MICHAEL J. KNELL Community Editor MARJORIE A. BURGESS Advertising Manager Malling Permit No. 480 Memberof the Whitby Chamber of commerce No need for postalmonopoly Well the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have gone back to work and everyone across this nation is breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Despite the inclement weather of the past few days, everything seems to be a little sunnier. One group that is probably rejoicing the most is smail business. These small companies that are Canada's biggest employers are now looking for- ward to getting back to business as usual. During this unfortunate strike, an untold num- ber of these businesses went under throwing many people out of work and there are others that may not survive even though the strIke has now come to a conclusion. Now that CUPW has returned to the job perhaps It is time to re-evaluate the role that the Canada Post Office plays in our society. Under law, the Canada Post Office is the only organization that is allowed to handle, distribute and deliver the mail. This should be changed. The government should allow the post office to have competition just as Air Canada must compete with Canadian Pacific Airlines and the Canadian National Rail- Thank you Dear Sir: On behalf of the Whitby Iroquois Swim Club I extend thanks to the Whitby Free Press and Stephen Greenaway for the excellent and en- thusiastic coverage in reporting on club activities during the 1980/81 season. Yours truly, Ann Goulding, Public Relations. Thanks again Dear Sir: On behalf of the Whitby Iroquois Swim Club I extend thanks to the organizations and businesses in Whitby and surrounding area for their support and sponsorship during the 1980181 season. Our appreciation goes to the Whitby Block Parents for donation enabling the club to pur- chase training equipment, Coral Pools Ltd., Ferrco Engineering, and the Stardust Dinner Theatre for spon- soring home meets, and the Pepsi Cola Co. and Saints Roller Rink for their donations and sup- port. Yours truly, Ann Goulding, Public Relations. ways must compete with Canadian Pacific Rail- ways. There would be many advantages to allowing competition in the postal system. Firstly, it would give consumers, both in and out of business, a choice of who to do business wlth. This competition would make the post office more cost efficient. After all, if someone else can do the same job the post office does at a cheaper price then that government agency would be for- ced to re-examine its financial resources. Competition would also have a positive effect on the labor relations process carried out between the post office and the unions representing its workers. The competition would force the strikes to be shorter and less frequent because both parties would be of the knowledge that someone else is doingtheirjob during these postal disruptions. It would also prove once and for all that private enterprise can undertake a job as massive as delivering of mail cheaper, more efficiently and with fewer problems than the government can. There has also been the suggestion that the postal system be declared an essential service thereby taking away the right to strike from its employees. Before supporting such a move, this publication would urge everyone involved to think long and hard before saying yea or nay. Such a move could be supported if the new Crown corporation which will take over from the Canada Post Office sometime in the future was to be a monopoly. If the monopoly was given, the postal system would be of too great a value to too many Canadians to have the service shut down for a few weeks at a time every few years. One of the cornerstones of our economy is the postal system. It is the major method of delivering goods and services and the delivery of these goods and services means a healthy and employing economy. Too many people and too many businesses rely on the postal system for their livlihood to allow the right to strike in a system governed by a mono- poly. However, if the Government of Canada will allow competition in this area there is no reason for the right to strike to be taken away. In fact, in such a situation it could even become desirable because of the impact the labor relations process would have. Competition would mean that the Canada Post Office could not be as complacent in its collective bargaining as it has been in the past. It would be forced to deal with the issues at hand in a quick, responsible and efficient manner. Under the present set of circumstances, the Canada Post Office can sit back and do nothing thereby becoming just as responsible as the unions for the breakdown in our economy. This publication is a strong believer and defen- der of the democratic free enterprise system and opposes the establishment of monopolies especially by the Government of Canada. It is our humble opinion that free enterprise could deliver the mail in a more reliable and effi- cient manner than the post office and without as many disruptions. Send your Ieuers to: Box 206, Whitby 'M Ft rree PressrBuilding. 1:11 Krock.Strè.et North. 1.(0. Box 206. Whîtby. Ont.