President's Message February 2013
Hamilton Mail Processing Plant (HMPP) 6.05/Network Changes
The Union was given notice at the National level on December 3, 2012, regarding an Article 6.05 section change at the HMPP. The parties were initially going to consult on January 11, 2013, but this was delayed because the employer had not completed the reorganization. Canada Post provided another notice for what they referred to as a “Network Change” on January 15, 2013, at the National level relating to the loss of the Hamilton draw to Toronto. The parties subsequently met on January 24, January 28, and February 6, 2013. The Local raised objections under Article 6.05 and Article 29 tech change regarding the amount of notice. It is our position that the employer has not provided sufficient notice under these provisions and that implementation should have been delayed at least until April or May 2013. The Local was told by management that the Hamilton draw was going to Toronto because there was surplus capacity, meaning employees with nothing to do. It was not explained why management was cutting jobs in Hamilton if Toronto had idle workers. The Local raised a number of objections related to the section changes as well. Canada Post admitted to the Local in consultation the number of point of calls in this area is growing and parcels volumes are increasing in spite of their gloom and doom predictions. Management plans on implementing the 6.05 change in early March 2013. The Local has filed a grievance on the changes and is advising shop stewards and members to file grievances on the staffing violations as they occur.
Burlington Main and Burlington LCD 8
The two letter carrier depots in Burlington have completed there restructures. Burlington did not go through Postal Transformation this time around and remain under the old delivery system. The Local consulted with management on February 5, 2013, and February 12, 2013. Job loss related to the restructures according to the employer were as a result primarily of lower mail volumes and the removal of bundle boxes. The Union did not agree with the figures management was using to determine the mail volumes or with the reduction of bundle boxes. The Local has filed grievances on both restructures because of outstanding national grievances on the Georoute route measurement program not being provided. The restructures will be implemented On April 15, 2013.
Blocked out Pre-Retirement weeks on Statutory Holidays
The Local had Annual Leave consultations in November and December of 2012 with Canada Post and discussed the issue of the employer blacking out weeks with statutory holidays. The Local objected to the blacking out of any weeks. The employers position was that due to staffing and the inability to cover employees on these weeks they were not allowing employees to bid. We challenged this point because the employer is creating the short staffing crisis. We also complained that management has more then enough advance notice with the schedule going into 2014 to plan and cover any shortfalls. The Local has filed grievances and is advising members to file a grievance is they are denied a black out week. The collective agreement is clear under Article 19.13 (f) When any day scheduled as pre-retirement leave falls on a designated holiday, the employee shall be entitled to an alternate day at the end of his or her pre-retirement leave.
Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier Restructures in Waterdown and Oakville
The Local was given notice by Canada Post that the Waterdown and Oakville RSMC;s routes are going to be restructured. We have been told that the Waterdown restructure has not begun and may not be complete until the summer. In Oakville management has indicated to the Local the restructure underway may not be complete until April or May 2013. Under the new collective agreement the employer must notify the Local when they have completed the restructures and send us the information. The Union has the right to consult with management to discuss issues related to the restructure including how the bidding of routes will be done.
Canada Post's Reduction of services and conflicting announcements
Canada Post continues to reduce services to the public by not mailing out tax forms to the public. If anybody has tried to pick up a tax form at a retail postal outlet they will find limited supplies and promises that forms are on the way. The government continues to reduce services to the public because of their belief that everything should be done by the private sector and a balance budget at the expense of the public is a fair trade off. How soon they forget the economic crash of 2008 and the permanent damage the private sector speculation did to the world economy. On that note, the Post Office chicken little's are again in full mode by publicly announcing projected losses and reduction in mail delivery service. Then we hear CPC has no plans to reduce daily mail delivery no doubt related to the protests they heard from small and medium size businesses. When will they ever learn.
In solidarity,
Mark Platt
President,
Hamilton Local 548