October 11, 2013
Every August, in what seems like some sadistic tradition, Canada Post rolls out hundreds of thousands of IKEA catalogues across the country and places them squarely on the backs of Letter Carriers. This “wonderful business opportunity” provides CPC with a handsome sum, which trickles down to the workers at a rate of $0.07 per piece delivered. For the pleasure of breaking our backs, we get a whole $7 for every 100 we deliver!
But August has come and gone, so where are the catalogues?
As some of you may know, IKEA has locked out its workers at the Richmond location. This lockout, which includes attempts to two-tier wages and makes it more difficult to obtain benefits, has been going on since May of this year, and doesn’t look likely to end soon.
In an attempt to massage public perception, it is believed that the Swedish furniture giant held off on releasing the catalogues for delivery. CUPW has even received emails indicating that IKEA might not deliver in the Richmond and Coquitlam areas at all!
These hopes have been dashed however; as the Locals have been informed that CPC intends to deliver the catalogues in October. This poses a number of problems.
Can they just change the dates like that?
August delivery of the catalogues has been the normal schedule as a result of consultation with the National Union. Each year that this delivery has taken place, a specific Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by both parties. This is required due to the fact that these catalogues fall outside of the specifications allowed in our Collective Agreement. Simply put, if we do not agree to deliver them; then they can not be delivered.
Part of the consideration around the timing of August delivery is Summer mail volumes which, because they are historically lower than other parts of the year, allow carriers to be in a less burdensome situation. As we all know, October is much different. Householder mailings start piling up as Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas start approaching; lettermail and parcel volumes also climb. This overburdening is made worse by the constant cuts in Letter Carrier routes with each passing restructure, where from approximately 8 to 34 percent of routes are regularly being slashed.
To add insult to injury, the proposed start date for delivery is October 21st; a day on which three (3) depots in Vancouver, one (1) in the Fraser Valley, and one (1) in the Royal City are implementing restructures that have again resulted in large losses of Letter Carrier routes. A number of other Depots are still reeling from restructures that implemented in the past few months.
It is with these thoughts in mind that the three lower mainland CUPW Locals, comprised of Fraser Valley, Royal City, and Vancouver have put forward the united position to our National Union that they not agree to the change in delivery dates. We feel that by agreeing to them CUPW would be saying two things that we do not stand for:
1) that it is okay to support a billion dollar business while they lock out their workers and refuse to offer an ounce of respect, and
2) that Canada Post would be allowed to change the conditions of a previously negotiated agreement without proper justification, and with an overt lack of regard for the physical toll those changes will take on the worker’s bodies.
As of this writing, we are unaware of any written or verbal agreement between National CUPW and Canada Post to change the dates of delivery, as agreed upon in the original Memorandum of Agreement. As such, it is the position of the aforementioned Locals that the delivery of the IKEA catalogues without the agreement of CUPW would constitute a violation of the Collective Agreement between the parties.
Canada Post may well unilaterally order the delivery of this IKEA catalogue. We have received word that supervisors have begun talking about IKEA in some depots already. The Locals have not yet consulted on this delivery. We have asked Canada Post to provide us with specific information relating to this mailing, which they have not provided thus far. We have indicated to them that we are willing to consult once we have received this information. We will be registering our objections and putting them on notice that we will be filing grievances seeking both additional payment per catalogue and damages.
There have been a number of our members who have expressed their concerns with the delivery of this item, some to the point of wanting to refuse to deliver them. We feel it is our responsibility to provide our advice with respect to any action that may be considered.
If an employee is given a direct order to deliver this item and they refuse, they could potentially face a significant suspension without pay or even discharge.
We recommend that our members, accompanied by a shop steward, exercise their rights under Article 9.07 of the Collective Agreement, to complain to local management about the impact this is having upon their working conditions. This is a contractual right that cannot be denied.
Members should also be aware of the rights afforded to them under Article 33.13 of the Collective Agreement; the right to refuse unsafe work. This should be used only in circumstances where the member has reasonable grounds to believe that their health and safety or physical well-being will be endangered. This is a right that is based upon a reasonable perception of danger by that particular individual. Arbitrators have ruled in the past that frivolous refusals may be subject to discipline.
If you have any questions, please contact your shop steward or your Union Hall.
In Solidarity,
|
Stephen Gale |
Kerisma Vere President Royal City |
Kim Evans President Vancouver |