By Michael Mcdonald, Canada Post PO5 forklift driver, St. John’s
Canada Post has framed this narrative that they are losing money… well, I guess if you say something enough, people will start to believe it is the truth even though it is not!
I believe it’s unfair that the crown corporation can state that it has lost $3 billion since 2018 when in actual fact it has invested that $3 billion into new sorting plants, new vehicles to replace their aging fleet, as well as new equipment and technology all over the country!
The only thing that Canada Post has not invested in during that same time period is their workers… the people that provide the service, the people that make the service work despite all the mismanagement and over-spending taking place.
Instead of placing value in the people who made it possible to build those new sorting plants and to purchase those new vehicles and equipment, Canada Post continues to push a narrative that they are now broke and cannot afford to pay their workers a living wage, or allow their workers after years of service to retire with dignity!
They continue to devalue the labour their workers provide. They continue to push false narratives about the financial stability of the crown corporation, and have pushed it to the point where they sabotage the public service by using their high volume mailers to scare the public into using other parcel providers in fear of a labour disruption.
We’ve all seen the little red box on the shipping page of whatever site we’re shopping on telling us about how a labour disruption at Canada Post could affect your items delivery… better go with another provider right…
Purolator
Well, it must be discussed and considered as an unfair labour practice that Canada Post can filter volumes through its other entity, Purolator, during its negotiations with CUPW-STTP, and then scream foul in the public that our volumes are down. Anyone working for Purolator knows their volumes increase every time we enter negotiations at Canada Post!
They manufacture a crisis and then push their narrative on the public so they can impose their demands on the workers. It’s a modernized application of what is known as the Mohawk Valley formula. It has been used by governments and employers for decades as a method of strike breaking and devaluing the workers who perform the service.
Canada Post has said more in the media this last week than they have said at the bargaining table in the last 12 months, as they continue to negotiate in bad faith with CUPW-STTP.
“The sky is not falling at Canada Post”
It’s important to reiterate that Canada Post is not losing money! They are mismanaging their operations on a daily basis and spending money hand over fist as they invest in new facilities, new vehicles and new equipment!
After spending 3 billion dollars upgrading their infrastructure and embarking on a public relations campaign to make the media and public believe the crown corporation is losing money, it is time we break that false narrative and come to the understanding that they are investing money back into the infrastructure of the service but are unwilling to invest in their workers! The same workers that take pride in delivering the public service and who are good at what they do.
Canada Post must recognize the value its workers bring to the table! They need to invest in their workers the same way they have invested in new facilities, new vehicles and new equipment!
The workers are asking for the public’s support and understanding as we navigate this difficult time. The sky is not falling at Canada Post… although chicken little would like you to believe that it is!!
Please treat your employees better as they have been dedicated to Canada 🇨🇦 Post
Canada Post and it’s upper level management have little fear of answering for any kind of shady business practices. Even celebrating in press releases the purchase of Premium Carbon Credits reportedly purchased from First Nation sellers. Of course, the financial details were undisclosed even their fiscal 2023 financial “report” has no indication of the cost. The motive was clear as they rolled out yet another high budget TV commercial celebrating the Carbon Nuetral delivery of parcels. Their poetic license is also evident by post purchase application of a green coloured decal, shaped like a leaf with the word hybrid prominently stuck to the side of XL Transit delivery vans that feature a V8 gasoline burning engine with absolutely ZERO hybrid technology installed. There are many more examples of the arrogant disregard for caution or subversive planning and execution of these misleading campaigns. As for their financial reports, I can’t say there are any lies as there is no details of the arbitrary figures printed in their glossy brochure. Even the bottom line numbers are coded in CEO, CFO & several other executive narratives and forecasts. As for adherence to common accounting practices? Well auditors sign off on the filing so…..
Has Canada Post considered getting rid of its executives? They are underworked and over paid. That are working in conjunction with bug capital to turn us all into wages slaves before they eliminate the workers forever. We don’t need some elitist executive to destroy our work force and our precious public services. Which we pay for through our taxes. Meanwhile while canada post is crying poverty, there is lots of money to donate to expenses which were never approved by the public.
Postal banking now! Also, Canada Post should be used as a training centre and job generator rather than as a cash cow, with a reintroduction of door-to-door delivery wherever that used to exist and wherever possible, as all civil services should be part of a policy of employing as many Canadians as possible and paying a living wage.
What part of “CANADA post are you not seeing…
We treat drug dealers better
Get to the table and give these workers a FAIR deal….
NOW
I hope this is posted on both the Canada Post cite and the CUPW cite
Wow! Very enlightening. Thank you for the cold truth. I totally support the workers; not even a close call. Thank you to all the postal workers who work tirelessly to bring us our mail. We as customers have definitely been spoilt by the level of service these people provide.
Canada Post has been advertising a poor financial situation that the members of management themselves have created. The so called dire financial situation is either the result of negligence or intent.
If the members of corporate are responsible for and aware of the company supposedly going broke within the next few years, why all the bonuses year after year.? What company announces a 5 year, 4 billion dollar investment plan, only for that same company to claim they are going broke just a few years later?
Only a few years ago the workers at Canada Post were capable of moving record volumes, during Covid. Yet now CP claims that their problems are purely operational…? Somehow the workers, whom have no spending power within the company whatsoever, are the cause of all that is wrong with Canada Post.
The new generation of workers joining Canada Post consist of many new Canadians. This is the workforce that CP seems intent on exploiting at this time. This is a truly heinous proposition.
Canada Post’s unwillingness to negotiate with CUPW and resume operations whilst the majority of small businesses in Canada are suffering without their services, is very questionable. What is their corporate agenda?
The CPC ownership of Puraltor and the executives working for both companies has created a clear conflict of interest. The funneling of Canada Post product through Purolator during this strike period has been used as a tactic for union busting. All while the Corporation itself still generates revenue as a result of this.
The members of CUPW are being deprived of their constitutional right to negotiate a fair contract. Canada Post has employed unethical tactics like the cancelling of all benefits including those benefits that terminally ill employees are dependent on. The manipulation of the product by means of Puraltor diminishes CUPW’s negotiating power and the worker’s rights even further.
Make Canada Post NEGOTIATE NOW!
What a pile if bunk. Show me another job with very little pre-employment conditions. The benefits are great and you complain. Wages are some of the best and you complain. You have grievance system and you complain. You have paid types of leave and you complain. How about you wake up and see how the rest of us struggle.
Wake up? Everything you say is not true. We don’t struggle? Try doing our job. How do you think delivering mail got better than bad? Wages are not some of the best. If you knew anything about the strike and the job, which you clearly don’t, you know we’re not making bank. We’ve been taking wage cuts for years now and Canada Post wants us to take even more wage cuts with under-inflation raises. The grievance system doesn’t work. You have no clue but you spout off like you do. Are you management?