Discussions

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/blogs/announcements/details.page?article=:2016/07/05/canada_post_takes_st&cattype=:announcements&cat=:newsreleases  
 
What are your thoughts on Canada Post at this time? I like my mail, mostly junk mail, although I''m getting weary of labour negotiations.  
 
For those that may not click the link, a small snippet from Canada Post directly.  
 
"Canada Post takes steps to respond to rapidly deteriorating business situation  
Posted on July 05, 2016 by Canada Post in News Releases  
OTTAWA – Canada Post has notified the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that it will be changing the terms and conditions of employment for all employees represented by the union starting Friday, July 8, 2016. The uncertainty caused by the prolonged negotiations and the union’s strike mandate is having a negative and escalating impact on the postal service.  
 
Customers are already looking to avoid the risk of a work disruption. Examples of the impact are being felt across the network:  
 
Nearly all of our largest e-commerce customers have already moved most or all of their parcel volumes to other carriers, resulting in a volume decline of at least 75 per cent from these customers.  
The number of parcels arriving at our largest plants via transport trucks has declined to the point where there often are not enough parcels to last an entire processing shift.  
Lettermail is down in many facilities by as much as 50 per cent and over the weekend, commercial customers deposited half the mail they usually deposit."  
 
Edited by Kellye, 2016-07-05 08:07:30

I've sort of been the type of person who believes that any business related to government does not play by the same rules of the private sector and we will always have to pay ever increasing cost for what we receive, but maybe the worlds a changing. This has been going on forever, and in a way it's hard to believe that it's happening under a liberal government, but I'm in favor of the actions the government is taking.

I like this statement...They included modest and manageable wage increases for all employees and no changes to the pension for all employees currently in the plan.  
 
What is modest and manageable?  
 
Then it says.....CUPW tabled demands that would add at least $1 billion in new costs over the term of new collective agreements. Their demands completely ignored the pension issues as well as other significant challenges faced by the postal service.  
 
1 billion isn't manageable. Good lord what is the union thinking. I have a buddy who says Canada Post is shooting themselves in the foot. Really with prices going up, centralized mailboxes, mail volumes down, it isn't a good situation for Canada Post. Everything important such as bills, company benefits, heck even our paystubs are all emailed now. Really I check the mailbox for Birthday/Anniversary/Christmas cards. Other than that I get the "Oh do I have the winning key or code for a free car crap." Oh.....and mail flyers which I just toss back in the outgoing mail anyway.

Alternate Day delivery for residential postal codes. With Mondays being holidays, the residential postal codes would be split into Tuesday-Thursday and Wednesday-Friday deliveries with Monday being the alternative when a holiday falls on a different weekday. Commercial postal codes would get Monday to Friday deliveries every day. Another variation would be MWF and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday residential deliveries.  
 
Canada Post is a service, not a business. it is required for a functioning society in the same way roads and public transit are provided at less than cost. However, public transit does not mean on demand taxis (unless the person is willing to pay the extra price) either and Canada Post does have to control some of the expenses. There has to be some government subsidy from the taxpayers so that it is there when needed.  
 
Employees of postal companies in other countries are often former military or injured police officer or disabled firefighter for example; someone who has made a sacrifice for the country and needs more than a poverty pension as well as something constructive to do with their life. Because the postal service is subsidized by the government, there can be a requirement to hire people that the government is morally responsible for looking after. The Saturday delivery would be provided by university students.

Good to see my parcel that mailed a week ago now potentially gets to not be delivered until after the strike.

Is it still on? I had mail today

Notice has been given to lockout, work stoppage possible.  
 
Edited by Anyway, 2016-07-05 12:51:42

Small towns are really hurt by a postal strike or lockout as we don't have courier services. Because of lack of availability of items we have to do more on-line shopping, which depends on the mail. Many small businesses depend on the mail to get stock in as well as pay and send invoices. Also, the mail is the only link a lot of seniors have to friends and family in the outside world. Hope it gets settled soon.