Record Profits Lead to Record Job Losses: Canada Post Cuts 302 Jobs

Ottawa-The "New Era" in Canada Post has struck with a vengeance. On August 3, 2005 the new Canada Post management team informed employees, the public and the union that it will close the Saint-Paul Street Letter Processing Plant in Quebec City, eliminating more than 300 jobs. The work currently done in Quebec City will be transferred to Montreal. Canada Post has told the union that all mechanized plants across Canada are under review.

These cuts to jobs and service come despite the fact that Canada Post has earned over $700 million in profits over the past five years.

"It is outrageous that a profitable federal Crown Corporation would be reducing service and eliminating 300 jobs in Quebec City," said Canadian Union of Postal Workers President, Deborah Bourque.

No one can claim service will be improved by trucking mail for almost three hours from Quebec City to Montreal's West End for processing. Eliminating jobs and processing capacity in Quebec will inevitably lead to delivery delays, confusion and misdirected mail. It also means more night shift work in Montreal and loss of employment for temporary workers in Quebec City.


"This is really a major loss of very good jobs for the region," laments Michel Durand, first vice-president of the Quebec City Local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).

"The CUPW will use every means at our disposal to fight this closure and save these jobs in Quebec City," said Bourque. The union will work with the labour movement, community organizations and politicians to put jobs and service before profits.

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