Canada Post is taking measures to reduce its labour costs due to a significant drop in mailvolumes following the rotating strikes by the postal union CUPW that started last Friday and
continue taking place across the country.The company said it must act now to avoid significant losses that will harm its financialself-sustainability.
In the coming days, Canada Post will reduce staff at mail processing plants across the countryto adjust to the reduction in mail volumes at each facility. In mostly urban areas where deliveryis performed by letter carriers, letters and advertising mail will be delivered only on three daysa week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Most small packages and documents will also be deliveredthree days a week. “Every effort will be made to continue to deliver priority items five days aweek,” the company added.
The Canadian postal operator stressed that these significant adjustments do not include allproducts and services at Canada Post as many of those will not be affected by these changes.Delivery of mail to rural mailboxes and community mailboxes thus will continue five days a weekwhere service is provided by Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) who operate under a separatecollective agreement than urban employees. Post Office operating hours and access to post officeboxes will remain unchanged and pick-ups from qualified customers and mail collection at streetletter boxes on major streets will continue as usual. Delivery of all parcels will also continue asusual.
Canada Post said it regrets any inconvenience these changes cause to customers. “However, dailymail volumes at Canada Post have fallen up to 50% cent since the union started rotating strikes onJune 3rd,” the company said. This has resulted in a steep drop in revenues and forced the companyto find ways to reduce costs.
Today, Canadian postal works are taking their 24-hour turn on the picket lines in Quebec Cityand Kitchener (southern Canada). In both these locations, Canada Post has downsized, closing a mailprocessing plant and trucking mail from Kitchener to Toronto to be sorted, the union claimed. “InQuebec City, the plant closure meant the loss of 350 jobs,” said Christian Martel, NationalDirector of the Quebec region. “How does that help the economy?”
“Kitchener’s mail doesn’t need to take the scenic route,” said Gerry Deveau, National Directorof the Ontario region. “It’s not exactly the most efficient way to process mail.”
The most recent strikes in Quebec and Kitchener follow work stoppages in Calgary, EdmontonVictoria, Montreal, Hamilton and Winnipeg, where the first legal strike in more than 13 yearsstarted last Friday after last-minute talks failed to settle the dispute.
Denis Lemelin, National President and Chief Negotiator, added: “With the exception of a fewstrategic work stoppages, we have kept providing postal service to the public. Canada Post’sapproach has been to cut our benefits and premiums, stop paying sick leave benefits, reduce hours,change schedules, and lay off temporary workers. Yesterday, CPC announced a major cutback inservice nationally even though to date our strike activity has only impacted approximately 26% ofthe population, for one day; except for Hamilton that went on strike for two days on a weekend.”& amp; amp; amp; amp; amp; lt; /p>
He acknowledged that there has been some progress at the bargaining table since the days theunion was in a position to deliver its 72-hour strike notice. “CPC has increased the wage offer forboth current and future workers, moved on the issue of householder values, and dropped severalmajor rollbacks. Yet, on the important health and safety issues and the Short-Term Disability Planand service expansion, CPC has made virtually no movement.”
The CUPW said it continues to put pressure on Canada Post’s negotiators to settle anacceptable collective agreement. “One week after obtaining the legal right to strike, we arecontinuing our struggle to obtain a collective agreement that meets the needs of postal workers andsafeguards the future of our public postal service. During the past week we have encountered manydifficulties and overcome many obstacles. We have responded to lies that Canada Post Corporationhas spread about our demands. Throughout all of this, we have remained united, disciplined andproud.”
Canada Post claimed that its latest proposal to CUPW is fair and reasonable, and does notjustify the strike action that has resulted in service disruptions across the country.
