http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/canada- ... n-layoffs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Canadian Union of Postal Workers held a rally at Sahali Centre Mall on Friday to protest the Crown corporation’s decision to end urban door-to-door delivery of mail. The end for Kamloops’ urban door-to-door delivery comes next year.
Canada Post plans to honour its commitment to not lay off any of its workers as it shifts from home delivery to community mailboxes, a spokesperson said.
Anick Losier said the Crown corporation is confident attrition will work in most communities, noting if it doesn’t, work will be transferred in for those who remain.
In Chicoutimi, Que., for example, attrition did not produce the reduction required, so Canada Post transferred other postal work in for those who remained to do.
In that case, it involved adding a video-encoding system — a process that involves noting postal codes and work the automated equipment doesn’t readily handle, she said.
That potential work adjustment exists for Kamloops should the workforce not drop to the necessary level when the transition from door-to-door delivery to
large mailboxes happens some time next year, she said.
Kamloopsians in the areas affected — postal codes V1S, V2B, V2C, V2E and V2H that encompass about 25,553 addresses — will receive an information package in coming days, including a mail-in survey.
Losier said she hopes people respond because the questionnaire has been helpful in other communities already converted over in identifying ideal locations for the community mailboxes.
She estimated up to 40 per cent of the mailbox locations in some communities were changed because of feedback received.
Safety remains a concern, Losier said, and the corporation continues to research safety features for community mailboxes and works closely with police.
“But, the thing is, your mailbox on your house isn’t safe either,” she said. “Anyone can go up and take something out of it.”
Losier reiterated the need to stop home delivery, saying in 2006, more than five-billion pieces of mail were delivered while last year, the amount had decreased to five billion. The first quarter of 2015 saw an eight per cent decline in mail being delivered over the same period last year, she added.
“If you think about it, even a five per cent decrease every year could see a significant decline” in mail being delivered, Losier said.
As for the lawsuit launched by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, along with some smaller organizations representing the disabled and elderly, Losier said some documents have been exchanged but there are no hearings set in the near future.
She repeated the corporation’s earlier statement it will fight the lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, if it has to.