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CANADA POST IS NOT BEING HONEST WITH THE MEMBERSHIP 

Sisters and Brothers: 

The Local met with Canada Post on January 29, 2010 over the 29.03 (b) notices for the new machines currently being installed at the South Central Plant.  In the notice it states that 88 full time jobs will be deleted through attrition by 2012 and 40 part time positions will be deleted.  We reminded the Corporation that they could not delete 40 part time positions through attrition because they are the junior members.  We obviously need to have more discussion on that issue. 

We also discussed injured workers and their duties, in which sections they would be accommodated, and what duties they would be performing.  Canada Post tried to tell us the same work, but we know that the work will not be available for our members when the plant is fully mechanized.  The Union asked for a complete audit of all injured workers and that we are given the names, sections and shifts for these workers. 

The Corporation are not being completely honest with our members. When we asked them about the staffing for the South Plant and our agreement that there would only be changes in October the Director Stephanie Simpson advised that in the first quarter the Union would receive a new staffing profile.  The first quarter is now!  The Union then asked how many day jobs we would be losing in the process.  Canada Post said they were not sure.  Sisters and Brothers, if they are currently making new plans and are planning to notify the Union within weeks, they should know the numbers and the shifts. They have no consideration for your lives and the lives of your family and they really do not care. 

Gateway Postal Facility gave their staffing profile with a reduction of 137-day jobs.  These day jobs are being moved to afternoons and midnights. We believe that the same will happen at the South Central Plant.  When we receive the information, we will pass it on to the membership. 

Labour Relations Officer Laura Aitchison had the same response to every issue we raised on behalf of the members, one of which is that “the Corporation would go ahead with their plans to put letters on personal files without interviews and we had to grieve everything”.  That means every infraction Sisters and Brothers, maybe she does not have enough work to do or maybe it is for her job security who knows the rationale. National Human Resources had forums on the work floor last Thursday to discuss reducing grievances; does Laura Aitchison have the same understanding? What is clear is that we have to follow the contract and make the Corporation do the same.  Remember to send for the privacy requests to collect all their notes for arbitration.  You are entitled to know every sneaky comment they keep on files about you. 

The membership has to pace themselves and work safe.  Copies of the Criminal Code C-45 are available for the membership; they can also be downloaded from our web page.  The new machines are faster with less rejects, the Corporation will expect you to work at an even faster pace because they do not care about health and safety issues.  You know that when you ask for help on the multiline you seldom receive it. If you feel unsafe demand help on the multiline, after you are injured it will be too late, there will be no work for you to perform and you will be sent home to collect benefits. 

The struggle continues…

Jane Marsh                              John Slattery                  

Toronto Local President         4^th Vice President            

February 1, 2010