In this round of bargaining, Canada Post is saying they need to make huge cutbacks because of the loss of first class mail. But, when this claim is examined it does not hold up. Here are the reasons why:
- Volumes help determine letter carrier routes: When Canada Post does a station route restructure, they do a volume count. In part, letter carrier routes are built using this volume information. So if the volumes change, Canada Post already has the tools in the Letter Carrier Route Measurement System to address this. They don’t need massive rollbacks.
- The number of full time workers in mail processing in Vancouver (PO4s, PO2s, and PO5s) has fallen dramatically: Over the past ten (10) years in Vancouver, the number of full time workers has dropped significantly. Canada Post is already adjusting to changing mail volumes. They don’t need massive rollbacks.
- At the same time, the amount of part time extended hours and the use of temporary workers in Vancouver mail processing has increased significantly: Canada Post is extending part time hours regularly at the PPC and they are relying more and more on temporary workers. This says that Canada Post does not need cutbacks – they need more full time and permanent staff.
- Weakening Appendix P, which protects full time staffing levels in Group one (PO5s, PO4s, full and part time, PO2s) does not address concerns with mail volumes –it just makes full time jobs more and more difficult to get and maintain: Appendix P requires Canada Post to create full time positions based on the use of temporary workers, etc. over the previous year. Appendix P reflects the current reality of how Canada Post is staffing. Appendix P does not need to be weakened.
- Canada Post wants to change Appendix P so they can use more part time workers in Group one – this is not about mail volumes. It is about taking away full time jobs: Appendix P also requires Canada Post to have a ratio of full time to part time jobs. This protects full time jobs. It allows part time workers to get full time jobs. This does not make sense, given the fact that Canada Post is regularly extending part time hours at the same time when they are often not filling full time positions. This is another reason why Appendix P does not need to be weakened.
- Canada Post already has the ability to deal with staffing in the current Colective agreement: This chart for the Pacific Region shows that the average number of members were:
|
Year |
Group one (inside workers) |
Group two (letter carriers and MSCs) |
Technical services (Groups 3 and 4) |
|
July 1-December 31, 2013 |
2,239 |
3,930 |
80 |
|
January 1-June 30, 2014 |
2,208 |
3,876 |
83 |
Canada Post does not need rollbacks to make changes.
We need to improve staffing. This will protect our jobs and improve service!!!
In Solidarity,
Vancouver Local Executive Committee