On September 25, the Minister responsible for Canada Post, Joël Lightbound, announced massive changes to the Government’s mandate for Canada Post and huge service cutbacks to the public.
This announcement was an outrage. Minister Lightbound gave the Union no indication that he was going to do this when leadership met with him last week. The Minister said he had the “utmost respect” for postal workers. This is no way to show it.
Lightbound announced that the Government was accepting and instructing Canada Post to implement the recommendations from William Kaplan’s Industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC) Report from May. These include:
- Converting 4 million addresses to Community Mailboxes.
- Gutting the rural moratorium on post office closures.
- Giving Canada Post more “flexibility” in its delivery standards, including by cutting the requirement to deliver 5 days a week.
- Giving Canada Post the ability to raise stamp rates more frequently.
In response to the Government’s attack on our postal service and workers, effective immediately, CUPW members at Canada Post are on a nation-wide rotating strike.
Read full release from CUPW here.
Find a picket line near you here.