President’s Message December 2011
The Hamilton Local had elections for the Executive Committee at the November 2011 general membership meeting. I want to sincerely thank all the members that came out to vote and the volunteers on the election committee. Due to the strike/lockout and the CUPW National Convention, we had the elections later then usual. Many members do not know that CUPW elects representatives from the rank and file. Your representatives are always members who have done the job. The question of proxy voting and mail in ballots came up again. The cost of hiring a third party auditor to conduct such a vote is prohibitive. The Local is looking at electronic voting to expedite local elections in future.
There are an unprecedented six Postal Transformation restructures underway in the Local. Oakville Main Letter Carrier Depot, the Oakville Depot Letter Carrier Depot, Hamilton LCD 2, LCD 3, LCD 4, and Hamilton LCD 5. The Local has observers at every restructure to gather evidence for the fast track grievances to be filed under Article 47.11. There was also a five day route measurement course offered the week of December 5, 2011, by the CUPW Ontario Region that the Local was able to send delegates.
The Local had an arbitration date on December 2, 2011, for the fast track grievance put in for the Hamilton West Letter Carrier Restructure. There are two more arbitration dates in February 2012. Regardless of the many problems with the new method of mail processing, preparation and delivery, Canada Post is pushing ahead with modernization in order to cut as many jobs as possible. Make no mistake, the only way we are going to stop the job killing juggernaut known as Postal Transformation is to fight back by asserting your collective agreement rights.
Management is floating a rumor in Oakville that they intend to combine the Oakville Main and Oakville Depot for the purposes of bidding new routes when they are both put in the new building on Speers Road in 2012. The Local has already consulted with Canada Post at the start of these restructures and has told management our position is that both the Main & Depot should be kept as separate units in the new office for bidding of the new routes. This is what was agree to between the parties when the Ancaster and Dundas Letter Carrier Depots were restructured at the same time in 2009 and moved into the new facility now known as Hamilton West.
The Local is waiting for an arbitration date for the faulty Hamilton LCD 1 letter carrier restructure as well. We expect to have the hearing early in the new year. Management has agreed to have consultation with the Local over the start times at LCD 1 in order to move the times earlier to minimized after dark delivery for the letter carriers. The Union will be trying to have all the routes on both waves moved to earlier start times.
It was a tumultuous year with Urban Operations negotiations, the strike/lockout, and the government
trampling of collective bargaining rights with Bill C-6. Canada Post is taking full advantage of the Conservatives low wage, roll back, anti-worker agenda. Management has not let up on its attacks on our health & safety by failing to give members a proper rotation of duties, training, and sufficient staffing in all classifications. This applies both to the Urban and RSMC members. The Union and the membership are fighting back and will continue to do so.
The RSMC contract expires at the end of this year. The Union expects the Corporation and the federal government to collude once again with the corporate media to unleash the same fear & smear campaign against the RSMC’s that they subjected the Urban members to last spring and summer. This is spite of record profits for 2010 on the backs of all postal workers. With the extreme Reform Conservatives in power the reality of a profitable unionized public service goes against everything they believe in. This is why they are doing everything they can to undermine the Post Office in order to privatize us. I believe the truth will eventually triumph over any corporate propaganda.
On behalf of the Local Executive, please have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year in 2012.
In solidarity,
Mark Platt
President
Hamilton Local 548
