Postal Union: only public can save home mail delivery

Local and regional representatives of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers organized a town hall meeting today to inform people about the pending loss of door-to-door mail delivery, and to try to mobilize them against the crown corporation's plans.

About a hundred residents gathered to see a presentation by local union rep Jackie Robichaud, hear regional rep George Nickerson talk about Canada Post's plans and what has been done across the country and in other Maritime  locations so far, and hear encouraging words from MLA Bill Fraser and President of the NB Federation of Labour Patrick Colford.

Nickerson told the crowd that some people see the union's campaign against the changes as a movement that only benefits the union and not the public.  Nickerson gave several examples of  hard won benefits for postal workers that have positively affected all Canadians, like maternity leave.  He also pointed out how job losses and increased postage costs will affect communities, charities and small businesses.

"The 6 jobs that are slated to be lost in Miramichi will cost the economy here up to $300,000 a year," Nickerson said.  "It will be hard for a place like Miramichi to replace good paying jobs like these."  Nickerson said that they types of jobs coming to Miramichi are more likely to be closer to the minimum wage.

Nickerson said that Canada Post also plans to open many more retail outlets.  He said that many of the retail outlets they open are very close to existing post offices, and the corporation will cite lagging sales at those offices as an excuse to close them.

"It's all part of their plan to privatize Canada Post."

During Jackie Robichaud's presentation, she dispelled many of Canada Post's (CP) financial myths, the reasons they give for wanting to eliminate door-to-door delivery, raise postage prices by 35%, and eliminate 8000 jobs across the country.

Robichaud said that CP predicted they would lose $250 million the year before last, but instead made $127 million.  She also said that CP has made money every year since 1996 except in 2011 when they locked out the union and suspended service.  She also pointed out that even though fewer letters re being mailed these days, increased parcel delivery has actually increased the total amount of mail that gets handed.

Robichaud also pointed out some of the problems residents can expect with community mail boxes if they lose their door-to-door service.  Robichaud said litter is a big problem, and showed photos of community boxes with huge amount of discarded mail around them.  She said parcel delivery turns into a parcel lottery.  She explained that people who receive parcels at community mail boxes receive a key in their mail box to open  the parcel box.  If that person does not check their mail for several days, then others waiting for parcel won't be able to access their parcels.

"And you'll have to pay 30 dollars to have your key replaced if you lose it," she also warned.

Robichaud also said that some community boxes in Miramichi have recently been the target of thieves.  The thieves broke 8 boxes looking for prescription medication that was delivered to others who used the box.

Slippery conditions around the boxes is also a concern in the winter, and does not make it easier for seniors to get their mail.

Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra told the pres that the seniors he talked to were looking forward to the extra exercise they would get walking to the community boxes.

What can the community do?

Nickerson told the crowd that resistance to the changes has to come from the public and the municipalities.  The City of Miramichi has already passed a resolution to send a letter to Canada Post asking them to halt the elimination of home delivery.  Over 600 municipalities have already done the same thing.

Nickerson said all the big cities in Canada are against the elimination of home delivery, and having their support will mean a lot.  He also said that having Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside as the incoming President of the Federation of the Canadian Municipalities will also give the fight some teeth.

"A letter writing campaign is also gaining momentum," Nickerson said.  "People have to start sending letters to the MPs and putting pressure on them to deliver them to Ottawa. "

The crowd was asked to take copies of the letter prepared by the union with Tilly O'Neill-Gordon's address on it, sign it, share it, and flood Tilly's office with it.

"She represents the voters of Miramichi," Nickerson said.  "She'll be obligated to deliver them on her constituents behalf."

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Tilly was not at the meeting, because she told them she would be on her way to Ottawa.  No one from her office was in attendance either.

Jackie Robichaud said that her group has already made a presentation to Tilly at her office.  Robichaud said that before the presentation Tilly was repeating some of the myths that CP has been reporting like how mail volume in down.

Robichaud said Tilly's assistant seemed interested in the presentation, but Tilly did not.

"She did everything but yawn," Robichaud said.

CP has told the union that they have "200 customers".  These large volume clients will not see a ate hike, but everyone else will see a hike of 35%.  "They may only have 200 customers, but they have 30 million owners," Nickerson said.

Nickerson and Robichaud also talked about an option to increase revenue that postal services in other countries use, but that CP is not considering.  Banking Sevices.

Nickerson said some European countries, like banking giant Switzerland, offer banking services at their post offices.  In some countries the revenue from banking account for up to 70% of the post office's total revenue.  Banking services were offered in Canada at post offices between 1860 and 1960, but Canada's banks lobbied for its elimination.

Canad Post's plans have a 5 year timeline.  The next federal election will be in 2015, and Nickerson said the opposition parties have already said they would not eliminate home delivery.  But Nickerson said he unsure if they could be trusted.

"We stopped most of what Brian Mulroney wanted to do," Nickerson said, "but we didn't get any of it reversed after Chretien took office."

Bill Fraser thanked the hard work and efficiency of the postal workers, and pledged support to keep home delivery.  Patrick Colford said the post office contributes $6.3 billion to the economy, and that hit to the economy was the reason federal Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt used when she legislated postal workers back to their jobs in the lock-out of 2011.  "Now she wants to take money out of the economy by eliminating 8000 jobs."