It was with great interest that I read the article regarding negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in Monday's paper.
For someone that didn't want to comment on the negotiations, CPC communications manager Kathi Neal certainly had a lot to say.
She began by stating that job security and wages are not on the table, and yet Canada Post's own documentation speaks to a new wage scale and revised job security for future employees, which would include current temporary employees.
Ms. Neal then goes on to refute the legitimate safety concerns postal workers have regarding the modern post currently being implemented in Winnipeg. Her assertion that people were "certainly off sick" doesn't begin to address the reality of injury rates faced by the workers in Winnipeg.
Studies done by Winnipeg's local compensation officer show a staggering increase in injury rates, and for Ms. Neal to simply brush those injured workers' concerns aside is irresponsible and insulting to say the least.
Postal workers in Prince George are already facing the reality of a Corporation bent on improving the bottom line. Letter carriers here in the past few years have been treated to CPC's method of forced overtime, which can see postal workers delivering mail on unstaffed routes until 8 p.m.
In the winter in Prince George, that's a lot of walking in the dark on streets that can be either glare ice or not plowed. These aren't exactly prime working conditions.
It is only through protections under the Canada Labour Code that workers can refuse to work more than 48 hours a week, and exhausted letter carriers in Prince George have invoked those rights to protect their own health and safety.
And finally, I was disappointed that the reporter didn't further investigate Ms. Neal's ludicrous assertion that it takes up to five carriers a day to deliver one parcel. Letting a statement like that go unquestioned leads the reader to assume it's true.
If Ms. Neal is referring to ground and air transport as part of her carrier relay system, it needs to pointed out that transporting the mail for Canadians is Canada Post's job. It is the nature of the work, and until teleportation actually exists as an option as part of the postal system, the dedicated workers at Canada Post are her best bet.
While Canada Post is planning service cuts and closures, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has created demands in this round of negotiations that will improve and add to services in our communities while keeping Canada Post profitable.
These include innovative ideas such as banking, insurance and financial services, longer hours of business, evening and weekend premium delivery services, expanded parcel services, and more door-to-door delivery.
We understand that Canadians want a postal service that works for them and we are the workers that are willing to get the job done.
Tami Brushey
President, CUPW
Prince George Local #812
