My Response to Fred Green's Comment

WITHOUT THIS GROUP

DEAR MR. CP PRESIDENT
ON BEHALF OF THE MTCE OF WAY
IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO ALL OF US
TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY


"WE CAN RUN THIS RAILWAY WITHOUT THIS GROUP"
THAT WASN'T VERY KIND
IT MAKES US FEEL INADEQUATE
SO MUCH FOR PEACE OF MIND


MR. CP PRESIDENT
ARE THE TRAINS NOT ON THE TRACK?
WE ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP THEM THERE
WE THOUGHT WE HAD YOUR BACK


ALL OF THE MTCE OF WAY DEPARTMENTS
ARE SPOKES INSIDE A WHEEL
WITH MISSING SPOKES WHEELS WOBBLE
THEN THE SHARES WILL LOSE APPEAL


MR. CP PRESIDENT
WE WORK HARD EVERYDAY
SOME DAYS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS
YOU GET DIRTY IN THE MTCE OF WAY


MOST EMPLOYEE'S HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS
ARE YOU SAYING IT WAS ALL FOR NAUGHT?
WHEN WE WORK IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
SHOULD WE GIVE IT A SECOND THOUGHT?


MR. CP PRESIDENT
WE WORK BETWEEN HANDS OF TIME
ONE HOUR HERE TWO HOURS THERE
SO TRAINS DON'T GET BEHIND


SOMETIMES WE WORK IN CONDITIONS
THAT ARE TERRIBLE AND SEVERE
SO YOU ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION
WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE?


MR. CP PRESIDENT
WE ARE HERE TO MAKE A DOLLAR
WE'LL NEVER GET CLOSE TO WHAT YOU MAKE
BUT WE'RE PROUD WE ARE BLUE COLLAR


A MAN HAS TO WORK WITH DIGNITY
TO WALK WITH HIS HEAD HELD HIGH
FIGHT FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IN
AND NOT LAY DOWN AND DIE


MR. CP PRESIDENT
WE ALL WORK FOR CP RAIL
THERE IS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR MTCE OF WAY
AND THAT IS WHERE YOU'VE FAILED


WE DON'T BELIEVE FOR A SECOND
THAT THE RAILWAY CAN RUN SMOOTH
WITHOUT EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEE'S
"SAFETY" IS WHERE YOU'LL LOSE


SO MR. CP PRESIDENT
I HOPE YOU'LL CLEAR THE AIR
BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT US
WASN'T VERY FAIR


WE WORK TO FEED OUR FAMILIES
THATS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
CAN YOU AFFORD TO GIVE US A PIECE OF PIE
I GUESS THATS UP TO YOU


WRITTEN BY RUSS FINNBOGASON
ES WPG SAFETY & HEALTH CO-CHAIR
LODGE 207