Penticton Letter Carrier Reinstated after Discharge!

A Penticton Letter Carrier has been reinstated to his employment after being discharged in May 2009 on the recommendation of Supervisor Dave Brown. Ray Cartwright, a Relief Letter Carrier at Canada Post for over 20 years, was discharged following a dispute that began when Brown ordered him to sort first-class mail into a sortation case which Canada Post had failed to properly label – the addresses for the mail in question were absent from its case strips! In its letter of discharge, Canada Post claimed that the Grievor had failed to “show remorse for his defiance of a clear and direct order resulting in a deliberate delay of mail”.

This arbitration was scheduled in Penticton on February 11, 2010 (the day following the reinstatement of another Penticton Letter Carrier). In its opening representations, Canada Post’s legal counsel claimed that the Grievor had intentionally delayed the mail and had failed to comply with a well-known “corporate policy” that requires employees to sort addressed mail into sortation cases even when addresses are missing from the case strips. Each claim was categorically rejected by the Union, particularly the existence of such a “corporate policy”.  

After adjourning the February 11th hearing, the parties were able to settle this case in Vancouver with the assistance of Arbitrator Vince Ready. In accordance with the terms of the his reinstatement, the Grievor will receive fifty-two (52) weeks of compensation for lost wages, householder pay, missed overtime opportunities, boot and glove allowance, Corporate Team Incentive (CTI), as well as adjustments to his vacation leave and sick leave credits. 

In solidarity,

Ken Mooney
Regional Grievance Officer