Huge Struggle at Canada Post

from Rebuilding Militant Labor Canada

Background:
Since last week there has been a groundswell of direct action at the Post Office starting in Edmonton. Letter Carriers all over the city have insisted on not using a new sortation method that the corporation has wheeled out as part of their "Postal Transformation Scheme". The method consists of letter carriers carrying mail in two separate bundles, one bundle of magazines on their forearm and one bundle of machine sorted letters in their hands.

The Union has had the position that this method is dangerous and recently an arbitrator agreed with the union and ruled that this method significantly increases the chance of injuries from slips, trips and falls. At many stations the workers started resorting the machine mail in with their magazines and oversized mail to make one bundle instead of two so it is much easier to handle.

Since then management has started disciplining workers, "guarding" the mail so workers can't sort it safely, threatening members and in one case we've even filed a grievance for a supervisor physically grabbing a member.

The movement has now spread across the country with thousands of letter carriers sorting their mail in defying management. In Edmonton the crack down has been severe with members receiving discipline ranging from a letter on their file to a suspension of up to five days.

Action:
Below are the times we want you to call based on your timezone, they are staggered so that different time zones hit things in Edmonton at different times to tie up the phones for a maximum amount of time. Please call each number so as to tie them up as much as possible without calling constantly.

Script:
"Hello I understand that you are a manager at Canada Post Corporation who has been suspending workers for using their legally protected right to refuse unsafe work. I am just calling to say I don't approve of this course of action and hope that you will withdraw any discipline against CUPW members you have handed out this week."

Who we need to call:
Darlene Schwabb (operations manager Edmonton, Collection and Delivery): 780-699-4614

James Wyatt (operations manager Edmonton, Collection and Delivery): 780-982-0679

Jim Lange (operations manager Edmonton, Collection and Delivery): 780-868-3894

When we want them to call:
Eastern and Atlantic Time Zones:
Call at Eleven AM.

Central Time Zone:
Call at Eleven AM.

Mountain Time Zone:
Call at Ten AM.

Pacific Time Zone:
Call at Eleven AM.