Members of the CUPW
Vancouver Local:
We hope that the end of summer finds you replenished, revitalized, and ready to begin another busy season at the post office, and we can tell you that from our visits to the VMPP and VPDC, the heavy mail volumes that we are seeing suggest that this will indeed be a busy season.
As we begin to see more mail on the floor and fewer workers to process that mail, please respect your body and its limits and work safely. Do not feel pressured to rush and compensate when Canada Post fails to ensure adequate staffing requirements.
Each season brings different sets of challenges to us, as postal workers. As we approach those wet, autumn days where the hours of daylight are fewer and fewer, outside workers are encouraged to take care when they are out delivering, whether they are driving or walking. Outside and inside workers alike, please keep an eye out for hazards in your workplace and on your route, and be sure to report any safety concerns to your supervisor, and to one of the CUPW representatives on your workplace health and safety committee. If you are unsure of who these people are, please refer to the health and safety bulletin board in your workplace.
The Corporation has the primary responsibility for ensuring that safe conditions prevail within the workplace, to take appropriate and effective measures, both preventative and corrective, to protect the health and safety of employees.
Collective Agreement, Article 33.02
Workplace Bullying
Injuries that appear to be occurring with greater frequency in many workplaces across Canada are the ones caused by workplace bullying. These injuries are not necessarily the ones that are visible to the eye; rather, they are the injuries to one’s emotional and 
mental health, which, if not remedied, can ultimately lead to physical suffering.
Bullying in the workplace is not unlike the kind of bullying that is seen in the school yard, and both are forms of aggression. Bullies tend to be people who feel insecure and inadequate, who gain a sense of power through intimidating, humiliating and degrading others.
On October 1, 2007, Saskatchewan amended its Occupational Health and Safety Act. In so doing, it expanded the definition of harassment to include personal behaviour such as abuse of power and bullying. The revised law also allows for the appointment of an independent adjudicator to hear appeals arising from harassment complaints. Quebec is currently the only other province to have similar legislation, and we can only hope that British Columbia will one day follow suit and enact such legislation.
Canada Post is certainly not immune to the phenomenon of workplace bullying; in fact, workplace bullying seems to be somewhat of a systemic problem at Canada Post. It appears that an aggressive management style is endorsed at the top levels, with an expectation placed upon middle- and lower-level managers to enforce this style of management. When one considers the history of Canada Post, and the fact that, following WWII, Canada Post was largely staffed by veteran military officers, we can see why, at times, it feels as though there has not been much of an evolution from the militaristic origins of Canada Post.
It would be unreasonable to expect a workplace free from conflict and differences in opinion, and bullying can sometimes be hard to identify, as many studies have shown that the line between strong management and bullying can be a very fine one. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), you can use the “reasonable person” test to determine whether an action or statement could be considered bullying – would most people consider that action to be unacceptable?
If, while at work, you ever feel that you are in immediate danger, if you have been threatened or physically harmed, or feel that you are at risk of being physically harmed by another Canada Post employee, a customer, or member of the public, call 911 immediately.
If you believe that you are being bullied by a supervisor or manager at Canada Post, this is an abuse of power, and this kind of treatment from our employer can not be tolerated. Canada Post, like other employers, has a legal duty to protect employees from risks at work, and those include risks to one’s physical and mental health.
Canada Post has a duty to protect us, but unfortunately, experience has shown that when we take a complaint to Canada Post regarding any behaviour of its supervisors or managers that might be construed as bullying, we had better be prepared to stand up for 
our rights, persist, and have as much documentation and evidence as possible to support our complaint.
If you feel that you are being bullied by a supervisor or manager, tell a shop steward or contact the Union Hall immediately. Try to document any incidents, offensive comments or uncomfortable interactions, including dates, times, and whether there were witnesses present. Try to obtain witness statements whenever possible. Avoid being in the presence of the person without a witness being present. Bullying usually reflects a pattern of behaviour where one or more incidents will help show that bullying is taking place. Chances are good that if this is happening to you, you are not the only one. Obtaining statements of support from co-workers who have experienced or witnessed similarly offensive behaviour from the same individual will only help your case. In this kind of situation, we must be prepared to support one another, and stand up to those who are engaging in bullying behaviour. By holding Canada Post accountable and demanding that they abide by their responsibility to protect us and provide a safe and healthy workplace, and by asserting our right to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect, we can put an end to workplace bullying.
Wendy Lund
Health and Safety Director
CUPW Vancouver
[email protected]
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
1-800-668-4284
www.ccohs.ca
db/CUPE-3338