Letter to Moya Greene: Stop Quebec City closure!

August 10, 2005.

BY FAX AND MAIL


Ms. Moya Greene
President and Chief Executive Officer
Canada Post Corporation
2701 Riverside Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0B1

Ms. Greene:

I am writing on behalf of the CUPW National Executive Board to express our complete opposition to Canada Post's plans to close the Quebec City postal plant and our determination that Canada Post must reverse this hasty and unwise decision.

There are many reasons why Canada Post must reverse this decision and keep mail processing in Quebec City:

· to halt a project which would have a devastating impact on the workers in Quebec City, the community of Quebec, the quality of postal services to the public and the future of labour relations in Canada Post;

· to maintain over 300 jobs. The elimination of these positions would have terrible consequences for the very workers who have made Canada Post Corporation a public sector success story;

· to maintain the jobs of many temporary workers who would be laid off if the work is transferred to Montreal;

· to avoid the hardship that would be encountered by many regular employees who would be reclassified and relocated if the plant were to close;

· to permit CPC to offer excellent on-time delivery service to the people Quebec. Processing Quebec City mail in Quebec City makes sense from a service and operational perspective. It does not make any sense to transport originating Quebec City lettermail to Montreal for processing and then truck it hundreds of kilometres back to Quebec City for delivery;

· to preserve jobs in the community;

· to send a clear message to the people of Quebec that Canada Post understands and respects their social responsibilities as a large public sector corporation;

· to improve labour relations. As you know, there are three major objectives behind the creation of Canada Post as a Crown Corporation. These objectives were to improve postal service, attain financial self-sufficiency and to improve labour relations.

It is incomprehensible that such an important decision, affecting the lives of so many workers, could have been taken with such haste and with such little analysis. Canada Post management decided on July 14, 2005, to study the mail processing network. The clause 29.03(a) notice received by the union on that date stated: "The following is to inform you that Canada Post will be reviewing the national network including mechanized mail processing plants with a view of optimizing its operations." Less than three weeks later, without any consultation with the union, the community or the large volume mailers, CPC management decided to shut down processing operations in the capital city of Quebec and destroy hundreds of jobs.

It is unbelievable that such a major change in operations could be conceptualized and decided upon within this time frame.

If not reversed, the negative impact this decision will have on labour relations in Canada Post will far outweigh any financial gains you may be expecting. In our initial discussions following your appointment, you indicated, to me and my executive, that you wished to maintain a "no surprises" relationship with the union. Now, with your first major decision, we find that the union has been kept completely in the dark, contrary to Article 29 of our collective agreement. To make matters worse, while management representatives have refused to provide information to the union in consultation meetings, as required under the collective agreement, CPC representatives have been making misleading statements to the membership and the media.

The decision must be reversed because it will have a negative impact on future collective bargaining. Canada Post Corporation was unsuccessful in obtaining the rollbacks it proposed in our last round of bargaining which would have reduced our provisions concerning the introduction of new technology to the level contained in the Canada Labour Code. Instead, we have Article 29 of the collective agreement, which contains provisions that require consultation and the right to arbitration over unresolved differences, with a timetable that enables decisions to be rendered prior to implementation. Article 29 also requires CPC to eliminate all adverse effects of the implementation of technological changes. I suggest you read this article and instruct your managers to start respecting it.

This decision must be reversed so that postal workers across Canada and Quebec will not have to live with insecurity. Due to the manner and haste that the decision was made, no employees can feel secure.

We demand a full explanation of CPC's intentions concerning every mechanized facility. We want to know if there is any consideration being given to any other closures or significant changes to mail processing. If so, we want to be informed immediately as required under clause 29.03(a) of the collective agreement.

Our union is determined to convince you, the federal government, the public and the large volume mailers that it is absolutely necessary to reverse this decision. I have been advised that you are unavailable to meet with the union to discuss this matter until October. My executive and I remain available to meet with you, at any time and in any location if you are travelling. There is still time for you to reverse this hasty and unwise decision.

Sincerely,

Deborah Bourque,
National President