Canada Post plans to cut thousands of jobs

I don't get the "postal banking" thing.

Here's a different idea.

Letters are hard to write (for many people). Then you need to find an envelope. Then you need to find the correct address. Then you need to buy a stamp - of course, that means you need to know how much the postage is for that mailing. Then you have to find a mailbox, walk or ride or drive to it, and deposit your letter. Or if it's a parcel of any size, you need to get to a postal outlet (many of which are contracted out) within whatever the business hours are. After that, you have really no particular idea of when the letter will arrive.

So... why do letter carriers just deliver mail? Why don't they pick it up from your home as well? We'd need secure mailboxes, that's all. In fact, why can't you get on the phone, tell some automated or human service what you're sending and where... and have the letter carrier deliver the appropriate pre-stamped envelope or packaging, on their next regular run?

I'm not a business oriented person. But I have never understood why letter carriers only carry letters one way. Surely a little imagination could eliminate much of the frustration involved in physical mailing - and incidentally justify the retention and/or expansion of human home service.

I've been reading the comment about this on Yahoo...People are outraged:  how will we get our mail?  How can we walk all that distance to get it?  What about the disabled?  Etc. etc.  People don't seem to realize that we've had a two-tier system in this country for twenty years.  People in the burbs don't get home delivery.  I live a town of 7000 where no one gets home delivery, and no one ever has.  We all walk the short distance to a box.  If you are disabled, someone will get it for you.  I don't mind doing this, but I've never understood why this country has first and second class mail service. Either everyone should get it, or no one.  Looks like it's going to be no one.

The loss of decent jobs is a different matter, of course.

When the first class rate goes to 85 cents plus tax, and a dollar for a single stamp, plus tax, I imagine that use of the mails will drop like a stone.

I was in our local postal outlet this morning, and was told that they were ordered at 8:30 last night not to sell any more of those "permanent" stamps, because every time the rates go up, small businesses buy thousands of dollars' worth, and they don't want a run on them.

Fifty years ago it cost 2 cents to mail a Christmas card in Canada.  Next year it will be around 90 cents, including tax.  Not many things have inflated in price by 45 times in that period.  Not gas, not food.  Maybe houses in Vancouver, but not much else.

As a Postal employee for 27+ years, I can say without a doubt that this is the Harper government's way of trying to break one of (if not THE) most progressively-minded unions in Canada.

C.U.P.W. has been at the forefront of negotiating benefits that have been the model for other unions to strive for during their negotiations, and that makes Postal Workers target #1 for these idealogical neadertholls.

And to drop this just two weeks before Christmas?

More rubbing the faces of Postal workers in the dirt!

No, I haven't seen that. Remember that banking is NOT readily available to all. I've been bankless, won't go into the details beyond exploitative partner (this, many years ago).

My MP Alexandre Boulerice sent a petition, but I've also sent a message to an old friend from the Postal workers' union.

Bonsoir (lagatta), (real name redacted)

La nouvelle est tombé comme un coup de massue. Postes Canada vient d’annoncer qu’ils supprimeront des milliers d’emplois en plus de couper le service à domicile, réduire les heures d’ouverture des bureaux de poste ruraux, et augmenter de manière radicale les tarifs postaux.

Nous venons de mettre en ligne une pétition. Nous vous invitons çà la signer et la partager le plus largement possible.

http://www.jappuie-boulerice.org/stoppons_les_coupures_de_services_postes_canada

Merci!

Alexandre Boulerice
Député NPD de Rosemont - La Petite-Patrie
Critique officiel en matière de travail

http://www.jappuie-boulerice.org/ Alexandre Boulerice · 1453 rue Beaubien Est, 208, Montréal, QC H2G 3C6, Canada
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BillBC wrote:

I've been reading the comment about this on Yahoo...People are outraged:  how will we get our mail?  How can we walk all that distance to get it?  What about the disabled?  Etc. etc.  People don't seem to realize that we've had a two-tier system in this country for twenty years.  People in the burbs don't get home delivery.  I live a town of 7000 where no one gets home delivery, and no one ever has.  We all walk the short distance to a box.  If you are disabled, someone will get it for you.  I don't mind doing this, but I've never understood why this country has first and second class mail service. Either everyone should get it, or no one.  Looks like it's going to be no one.

I believe Canada Post should expand door-to-door delivery in suburban and rural communities, and actually remember a campaign in the mid-1990s to this effect.

Aristotleded24 wrote:

BillBC wrote:

I've been reading the comment about this on Yahoo...People are outraged:  how will we get our mail?  How can we walk all that distance to get it?  What about the disabled?  Etc. etc.  People don't seem to realize that we've had a two-tier system in this country for twenty years.  People in the burbs don't get home delivery.  I live a town of 7000 where no one gets home delivery, and no one ever has.  We all walk the short distance to a box.  If you are disabled, someone will get it for you.  I don't mind doing this, but I've never understood why this country has first and second class mail service. Either everyone should get it, or no one.  Looks like it's going to be no one.

I believe Canada Post should expand door-to-door delivery in suburban and rural communities, and actually remember a campaign in the mid-1990s to this effect.

Agreed it would be nice but it brings us back to the question of how to pay for it.  Canada Post is losing money hand over fist and expanding operations isn't going to reduce that.  Of course they can always keep raising prices but that's liable to backfire - make something more expensive and people use less of it so revenues actually go down.

And don't forget that there is a $6.5 billion dollar hole in the funding of the pension plan - they've got to obtain that money from somewhere (speaking from memory they've got a huge contribution due this year).

Another reason to elect an NDP government in 2015.

Unionist wrote:

Rebecca West wrote:

 

The mailbox flag in rural areas lets you know when mail has been delivered and lets the letter carrier know when there is outgoing mail. It's still in use where the nearest post office is dozens of kilometres away.

Yeah, I was curious though about cco's comment in respect to my proposal about home delivery. Letter carriers in cities don't pick up my mail, whether I have a mailbox or not. But maybe they should?

If letter carriers' jobs are going to be eliminated (and that seems to be what has just been announced), don't we need an argument to retain them and the service they provide?

With all due respect to CUPW, the only proposal I've seen is postal banking. That won't save jobs of letter carriers in those urban areas which still have home delivery.

Picking up and delivering mail would be a great service, though there are many parcels that would be too large and/or awkward to be carried and would require that a driver stop by for pickup. Regardless, it isn't about money. It's right-wing political doctrine disguised as fiscal responsibility. There is absolutely no political will, with our current government. They see an opportunity to eliminate unionized public sector jobs. Just another of many nails in CUPW's coffin. They haven't been an influential union for decades because of cuts and privatization. Even if it's necessary to reduce services, there is no reason they couldn't reduce services by attrition. There is no reason, no impending fiscal crisis that warrants the mass elimination of jobs. Canada Post exists as the cost of running a public service, not a cash cow. It could be done gradually, by not replacing jobs that people leave or retire from. It's intended to be an ideological death blow to a union already on its last legs.

Unionist wrote:

So... why do letter carriers just deliver mail? Why don't they pick it up from your home as well? 

That's what FedEx, UPS and bike messengers do.

I think that the problem with canada post is that the volume of mail is decreasing substantially - 23% in last five years and an additional projected 25% decrease over the next five. Given the mail volume decrease, expanding to add pickup service for a declining volume basis isn't going to fly, although it's a nice luxury to think about.

..canada post is what we are willing to fight for. for years the workers attempted to get services expanded. in my time we used to point to the british system where they offered over 200 services. they even delivered flowers. the gov didn't want to compete it argued after much screaming from the private sector. there was a trial program where as you could go to the postal station and view a catalogue/s you could order from..and pick up. it was successful and very popular that is until once again the private sector whinned something about competion not being equal now since it's the gov doing it.

..the workers are deciding what to do. they will not go quietly is what i know. and we have a post office that we can do anything we want with. this is maybe step up time for all the socalist dreams we mght still harbour. we must make ourselves ready to act in the defence of both the workers and the instutution.

Drastic Cuts to Canada Post Demonstrate Lack of Imagination

Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) President Sid Ryan expressed concerns that cuts and rate hikes announced by Canada Post today will have a negative impact on average Canadians and set the crown corporation on a dangerous and misguided path forward.

"The plan to eliminate door-to-door mail delivery by 2019 and hike up stamp prices is in line with the Harper government's devastating across the board cuts to public services and social supports that Canadians rely on," said OFL President, Sid Ryan. "It is disheartening to see this Conservative government continue to strip away the services we all value without considering the real costs to our communities."

Seniors and persons with disabilities will be most affected by changes that make the postal service less accessible, while people with low-incomes will bear the brunt of rising costs. The announced cuts are also expected to lead to the loss of between 6,000 and 8,000 jobs in the next five years.

"These changes are short-sighted and demonstrate a real lack of imagination," said OFL Executive Vice-President, Irwin Nanda. "In other countries postal operators are innovating to address changing needs and with bold leadership we could be doing the same in Canada."

Recent research from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives shows that, for example, postal banking provides a great opportunity to expand the services provided by Canada Post and secure its financial future. The Canadian Union for Postal Workers has also been encouraging the postal service to consider this option, which has proven successful in other parts of the world.

"No one would deny that the services provided by Canada Post must adapt to the changing needs of Canadians, but drastic cuts to services don't serve anyone," said Nanda. "We need a visionary long-term plan for the postal service that ensures financial sustainability, while prioritizing good jobs and quality services.".....

http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/drastic-cuts-to-canada-post-dem...

Canadian Union of Postal Workers plan to visit Conservative MP’s offices

Regarding Canada Post’s most recent announcement to phase out door-to-door delivery and raise the price of stamps.

On Friday, December 13, 2013 at noon The Canadian Union of Postal Workers plan to visit the office of MP Eve Adams located at 4870 Tomken Road, Unit 7 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1J8.

We welcome any assistance the Brampton Mississauga District Labour Council can provide.

Thank you.

http://www.cupe2544.ca/canadian-union-of-postal-workers-plan-to-visit-co...

Does anyone else think that it's no coincidence that Canada Post made this announcement after Parliament had adjourned early for the Christmas break?

Unifor expresses shock at Canada Post downsizing, pledges to join campaign against service cuts

quote:

He pointed out that senior citizens and many other Canadians depend on door-to-door delivery.  He also noted the opposition expressed by many municipalities to the construction of new super-mailboxes in existing neighbourhoods.  He promised Unifor's support for community groups, seniors' organizations, municipalities, and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in their efforts to defend the quality of postal service.

"Access to affordable, accessible postal services, no matter where you live or how mobile you are, is an important democratic right.  Canada Post is not a business, it is a public service.  There is no economic justification for these dramatic cutbacks, it's just another dimension of needless austerity."

"Doom-and-gloom prophecies about Canada Post's financial losses are not justified by reality," Dias said.  "The company has lost money only once since the turn of the century. Dismal forecasts are being used though to scare Canadians into giving an important, legitimate service."...

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1278419/unifor-expresses-shock-at-canada...

Rebecca West wrote:

Canada Post has been leaking jobs for decades, ever since they started privatizing.

Canada Post has never been privatized, unlike the Royal Mail in the UK. (FWIW, the UK government will retain a 30% stake in the company, according to this article.)

Brilliant! Thank you paolo!

..the post office never stopped privatizing and where it may have been a death by a thousand cuts if we lived for a very long time it moved very little towards the main goal of liberating the urban centres for private profit. eliminating door to door is only their latest attempt. there was the closing of many postal stations and farming the work out to drug stores etc. where once that was done in some cases it went whole hog.

..when they attempted to close the rural post office they were met with local ire. lots of it. i attened a meeting in the fraser valley where a group of over a 1,000 residents reamed out their conservative mp. the po it turned out played a central role in rural communities. so they closed some and reopened others but the program failed. same when removing mail boxes from the street. sven robinson was able to get 3 boxes put back out in my area alone. but the po still = a lot of money and the potential for a growing number of useful services. the infastructure is there. the profit can stay inhouse towards yet more or better services. this is economics 101 grassroots style.

..re superboxes we joined with members of the community/social groups and passed motions at city councils. all provided for an action and/or follow up. local fightback groups were formed across the country. community members with postal workers met with mp's expressing disatisfaction..again across the country. ndp mp's set up public forums. i attended 3 set up by sven, pauline and ian. but again across the country.  the cons backed off a bit after that. cupw has had some great campaings. i suspect the country is more ready to defend the po today having learned from the successes in organizing of the anti pipeline/fracking folks and que students. by success i mean that it is happening to the extent that it is impeding the powers that be.

BillBC wrote:

[Unifor]..."He pointed out that senior citizens and many other Canadians depend on door-to-door delivery."

2/3 don't, and haven't for twenty years.  Why should this two-tier system be prolonged any further?  Give everyone this service, or no one.

If you said, "make everyone an owner of banks, mines, and factories - or no one!" - I'd have more respect for your comment above. No, come to think of it, even then I wouldn't.

BillBC wrote:

[Unifor]..."He pointed out that senior citizens and many other Canadians depend on door-to-door delivery."

2/3 don't, and haven't for twenty years.  Why should this two-tier system be prolonged any further?  Give everyone this service, or no one.

I haven't had door-to-door delivery since 1991. Amazingly enough, no one cared until their ox got gored. Really strange, huh?

The most irritating thing used to be paying $5 to pay your GST on an international parcel - anyone remember that? Seems to have vanished, although I'm not sure if it got repealed or it's just not enforced any more.

Good article by Thomas Walkom:

[url=http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/12/13/canada_post_cuts_doom_mail... Post cuts doom mail service but help Tories [/url]

Quote:

Charge more; offer less. It is a formula for commercial failure.

Nice to see you back, epaulo!

Had the folks living in suburbs pushed back on being denied door-to-door delivery, I would have stood behind in support.

I did protest and support complaints against the privatization of some of the retail services that led to the closure of many small, locally focused post offices and the loss of many mailboxes. To this day, I still try to go to an actual Canada Post office to get my stamps. The selection is fantastic and the knowledgeable service much appreciated.

Unionist wrote:

Good article by Thomas Walkom:

[url=http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/12/13/canada_post_cuts_doom_mail... Post cuts doom mail service but help Tories [/url]

Quote:

Charge more; offer less. It is a formula for commercial failure.

Yes, to me this is much better framing.  The "how dare they do this!" is exclusionary, and really does seem over the top for those who have not had home delivery.  But, to describe this as one part of the step-by-step dismanting of institutions is something that everyone can undersand.  Charging more for less value will destroy the postal service and that will affect everybody.

Moral outrage about the dismantling of the postal service seems a lot more apt and inclusive than outrage about the removal of urban home delivery.

wage zombie wrote:

Moral outrage about the dismantling of the postal service seems a lot more apt and inclusive than outrage about the removal of urban home delivery.

Agreed, but I've repeatedly said that this is a good opportunity to advocate for expansion of door-to-door service, and this can tie into the aspect of dismantling postal services as well.