Local Canada Post employee breaks silence
Canada Post letter courier AdamWeight says he wants to keep delivering letters and parcels despite the threat of work stoppage that is looming on the horizon. He also stressed that a good number of Canadian citizens are ill informed when it comes to the current situation. “Some people weren’t quite happy,” stressed Weight. “But I told the people on my route that ultimately, it’s not us that make the decision, it is Post Canada and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.” — photo Francis Racine
FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
route that ultimately, it’s not us that make the decision, it is Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.” But the letter courier was quick to explain that most of the people he talked to fully understand his precocious position. “I want to keep working,” he said, while still having several letters and packages within themany pockets of his uniform. “They might even lock us out.” A news release, sent out by Canada Post on July 8, outlined that “both parties remain far apart on key issues. The impasse has caused tremendous uncertainty, which is having amajor impact on the business, our customers and our employees.” Canada Post employees are coming to work to find the amount of mail and parcels they process and deliver has dropped significantly. “We certainly have seen busier days,” Weight explained smiling. Canada Post in Cornwall employs over 50
people and covers over 30 routes. “I like my job, and the majority of my coworkers agree that the deal we have been offered, while not perfect, is a decent, fair one and we should grab it now before it’s too late,” saidWeight. “But if it ends up with myself andmy coworkers stuck outside with the old signs, remember that some of us are forced there to ensure we can at least get a small pay check each week, for strike pay. Unfortunately we are but pawns in their game, with no say on the offer that has been tabled, which, considering 60 000 employees pay over $70 each amonth in union dues, is an absolute disgrace.” A feud between two giants “Canada Post has informed the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that what our employees and our customers need is long-term certainty in the postal system,” stated a news release by Canada Post. This round of bargaining between Canada
Post andCUPWmostly centers on thedefined benefit pension plan. “We once again have the right to freely negotiate our collective agreements and it is time to stand strong and be united,” explained a news release by the CUPW. “We must send a message to Canada Post that we are bargaining based on our demands and that we will fight for our future and for all future postal workers.” On the other hand, Canada Post expressed that the union’s demands were simply unrealistic. “CUPW tabled offers that would add at least $1 billion in new costs over the termof a new collective agreement while rejecting the Corporation’s approach to address the long-term issues with the employee pension plan,” stressed Canada Post. According to the latter, the whole organization would be in need of a new pension approach for new hires.
Adam Weight faces several challenges when completing his job, such as rotten steps, hazardous yard materials and especially dogs. “I’ve never been bitten by one yet,” the letter courier explained laughing. But with the many uncertainties surrounding the delivery of mail in the past week, Weight might very well be bitten, figuratively speaking, by a Cornwall resident instead of a dog. The Canada Post employee dropped by the Cornwall Journal ’s office on July 8 in order to discuss what was once a looming lockout, which by now seems to have all but dissipated. The whole affair has had some residents of Cornwall seeing red according to the letter carrier. “Some people weren’t quite happy,” stressedWeight. “But I told the people onmy
Le Journal, Cornwall
6
Le mercredi 13 juillet 2016
Made with FlippingBook HTML5