Canada Post and its union continued to blame each other for the labour situation this week as mail service moved to three days per week.
The corporation announced the changes to delivery last week. Yesterday was the first day with no mail delivery.
Canada Post spokesperson Anick Losier said they had no choice but to cut back on mail delivery because of declining volumes across the system.
“We need to find ways to contain our costs as quickly as possible in order not to run a huge deficit because that would be assumed by taxpayers,” she said.
She said large commercial mailers are walking away from Canada Post and the company is bleeding financially.
“The financial impact right now is reaching $70 million and it is only going to continue to grow and a lot of these customers may never come back.”
Bev Ray, president of the Edmonton Local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), said mail carriers are highly suspicious of those numbers and have seen lots of mail piling up in Canada Post depots.
“The volumes that we see in Edmonton are not consistent with Canada Post’s claims that there has been a 50 per cent reduction in the volume of mail.”
She said carriers showed up for work on Tuesday to deliver that mail, but Canada Post turned them away.
“They demanded Canada Post allow them to work and deliver the mail. There were large amounts of mail in all of the depots including St. Albert and Canada Post refused to let them deliver.”
She said workers were told to go home or face suspension or even dismissal.
She said since the union began rotating strikes, they have seen their medical benefits suspended and with the reduced service, many are now suffering financially.
“It is impacting the workers who have mortgages based on a 40-hour-work week and are having to go to the bank to make arrangements.”
Losier said the deal Canada Post put forward includes wage increases, job security and pensions for existing staff. She said the deal they are offering is based on the business they have today, which is being weakened by the strike.
“Considering the challenges we are facing they should really take a look at it and sign it right away before our business gets eroded even further.”
The union is rejecting a company proposal that would create a new wage system for new employees and also wants the company to address staffing levels, and a proposed modernization program.
Ray said Canada Post has not been serious at the bargaining table and their stance is only going to hurt customers in the long run by creating an inferior postal system.
“Canada Post has been the one that has used the customers as a pawn to try and have the Conservative government legislate us back to work.”
