President's Message, February 2009
Finals Consultation for Hamilton Mail Processing Plant (HMPP)
The Local will be meeting with Canada Post on March 2, 2009, for a follow up consultation on the creation of a new Finals section at the HMPP. At our initial meeting on December 1, 2008, Canada Post said they were planning for a March 2009 implementation but it looks like this will be delayed at least until April 2009. The Local will keep the membership informed. Oakville management has not contacted the Local to consult on when their clerks will be moved.
NOO-03-00016 Medysis/Manulife
At the Ontario Regional Presidents meeting on the first weekend of February, Locals were informed that the decision in this extremely important arbitration will be coming out in June. In the meantime members must continue to assert their collective agreement rights to representation, proper notice, and control over choice of physicians and medical treatments, when dealing with Canada Post and their subcontractor Manulife. Members are under no contractual obligation to talk with Manulife from home on your own time.
The Video
Most of you have seen the recent video Canada Post is showing from Moya Greene. The Local was shown the video recently during a consultation on their new attendance management program. Ms. Greene complaints about the economy and her excuses for her mismanagement rang hollow. Postal workers do not have to tighten their belts, we have job security. We did not destroy the economy. Greedy corporations and their right wing puppets like George W. Bush and Stephan Harper got everything they wanted in the last 30 years, i.e. Free Trade, deregulation, lower corporate taxes, downsizing, balanced budgets, slashing of El and welfare, privatization, etc. etc. Look where it got us? To use a sports analogy, if the "team " is losing then it is time to fire the coach.
The Local is putting in a grievance on the new attendance management program for CPC's flagrant attempt to dictate arbitrary guidelines for reporting in sick and deadlines on the submission of medical authorization for absences of more than 5 days. Article 20.05 Notify Corporation of Illness states, "as soon as possible", and Article 20.08 Medical Certificate states you "may" be asked to certify and there is no deadline.
Grievances Up
The Local was also informed at the recent President's meeting in London Ontario that the Ontario Region has filed the most grievances in the country. The Local was told by management that the HMPP has the highest amount of grievances of any processing plant in the country. If it was not clear before, I think it is very clear now that the membership is frustrated and angry with Canada Post's ongoing aggressive violations of the collective agreement. Members who never filed grievances before are now filing grievances because they have had enough and they are not going to tolerate it anymore. Management has informed the Local they are not happy about the number of grievances. The Locals response to management:
STOP BULLYING SHOP STEWARDS!
STOP HARASSING SICK AND INJURED EMPLOYEES!!
STOP DELETING JOBS!!!
STOP VIOLATING THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT AND YOU WON'T GET
GREIVANCES!!!!
In solidarity,
Mark Platt President Hamilton Local 548