Management’s Proposed Changes at HMPP
Management’s Proposed Changes
On September 4th members of the Local Executive and Regional Office met with management to consult on their proposed amalgamation of the current business units into one section as well as other staffing changes to the HMPP. In typical management fashion, they were dismissive and indifferent to the very human concerns addressed by the Local.
Some of the issues of specific concern included:
• The elimination of 12 day jobs from short & long and the elimination of 6 day jobs from oversize. Under 14.31 of the Collective Agreement management is mandated to create day shift jobs. On August 21st I requested they provide their operational rationale and requirement to move these 18 jobs from days to midnights. In typical management double talk they simply said because they need to. I asked if arrival or departure times had changed for transportation services or the dispatch times for the workers. The answer was no. There is no justification for this and the Local will be grieving for the reinstatement of these day shift jobs!
• The lack of fair and equitable rotation of duties in addition to an inhumane rotation pattern in the new short & long “mega section”. Management provided a very broad and inequitable pattern that does not allow all workers to perform all functions. When the Local addressed this proposal months ago Management said they would discuss our concerns and get back to us. As of September 4th they still hadn’t. No surprise. The Local will be grieving this and seeking monetary damages in accordance jurisprudence language!
• The lack of proper consultation with the Local Joint Health & Safety Committee.
Management refused requests by members of the Health & Safety Committee to provide all information regarding the proposed rotation of duties. Under 33.03(c) management has an obligation to do so. Another glaring example of their obvious indifference to the well being of the workers. When Moya Greene say’s Health & Safety is the number 1 priority at Canada Post I guess she means unless it’s at the expense of profits and management performance bonuses. The Local will be grieving this lack of proper consultation with Health & Safety!
• The accommodation of current modified workers. Under article 54, 56 and the Canadian Human Rights Act management has a legal obligation to provide accommodation to injured workers. As of September 4th they would not commit to anything other than those currently accommodated will continue to be. They would provide no details as to how or in what way this would be done or the impact this would have to their proposed rotation pattern. The Local will be very involved in every step of this process to ensure everyone’s rights are protected.
These are just a few of the issues discussed in a consultation that got very heated at times. These changes are simply an exercise on management’s part to expedite the exodus of jobs from the HMPP. It’s another glaring example of a lazy management more concerned with justifying their existence in a management heavy company. It’s a management concerned with maintaining their performance bonuses without consideration for the people actually performing the work!
In the coming days and weeks management will be starting a bid process that will involve a lot of overlap with section bids and monthly vacancy bids. Management is looking for an implementation date of October 19th. The Local voiced its objection to ramming this down everyone’s throat simply in the interest of speeding up their changes.
If management’s past record of success is any indication of how smoothly this will transition the Grievance department will be very busy in the months ahead. In an attempt to shed some light and answer some of the concerns on how the bidding is suppose to work I’ve detailed a brief synopsis of the bidding process:
Of the 6 F/T day jobs in O/S, 3 are moving to O/S nights and 3 are moving to the new “mega section” nights. As a consequence there must be a constituent element bid as per 13.04(b) of the Collective Agreement. This means all F/T PO4’s presently in O/S must bid if they wish to remain in O/S. The 3 who do not secure an assignment, and anyone who chooses not to bid, will become unassigned.
As there is a schedule change to the days of work on Dock day shift, there will be a constituent element bid under 13.04(a) for the days shift jobs in that section only. This means the Dock day shift jobs are open to bid by all employees in that section only. The Dock afternoon and night shift jobs are not open to bid but the workers on those shifts may bid on the day jobs if they wish.
There are 12 P/T assignments being moved from the dissolving Business Units to the Dock. As the originating section will no longer exist at the time of the move these 12 P/T Dock assignments will be open to bid within the Hamilton Post Office as per the bidding process detailed in 13.18 of the Collective Agreement to all P/T PO4’s.
As to all F/T and P/T assignments within the new combined S&L “mega section” the same rule as mentioned directly above applies. As the 3 Business Units will no longer exist the assignments in the new “mega section” will be open to bid within the Hamilton Post Office to anyone in the classification as per 13.18 of the Collective Agreement.
In addition all regular monthly vacancy bids will continue as this process unfolds.
Once again, this is a glaring example of management ramming their ridiculous and needless changes down our throats to further their own agenda without regard for the concerns or wellbeing of the workers. I give you my assurances that the Local is holding management accountable for every move they attempt to implement and is filing the necessary grievances, and there are many, as violations occur.
I encourage everyone to check the order book often. If you have any questions or concerns immediately discuss them your Shop Steward or the Local Executive.
In Solidarity,
Terry Langley
1st Vice President
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Hamilton Local 548 September 8, 2008
