CUPW Scarborough Local Newsletter

Dear _______,  

Sisters and Brothers,

There is a lot happening in the local, all the time.  It is not always visible to every member.  There are shop stewards representing you on the floor to the employer, there are exec's hearing grievances and fighting for your rights, our secretary treasurer is helping people with pension issues etc., our VP at large is there to help you with your WSIB, Manulife, and Sunlife claims, and route structure is fighting for every inch on your routes.  There are arbitrations being fought, and new law being written, and I just want to let you know - There is a lot of winning going on, for you and I - the members. 

There are a lot of battles that are fought on your behalf all the time.  You may not see them being fought, you may only notice that there is an exec in your station for an interview.  Or if you have an part time exec in your station, you may notice that there are times they are missing.  When we are there, and when we are not there - we are fighting for you, and for your rights.

In Solidarity,

Cathy Beth

2nd VP

Lets Stick Together !!!!!!!!!!!

On May 12th the Scarborough Local executive gathered at the YDC on Midland Ave. to distribute "Lets Stick Together" stickers and leaflets about sticking together in the face of the up coming contract negotiations.  About Sticking Together while our RSMC brothers and sisters are in the process of trying to get an arbitrator appointed to look at their contract negotiations.  May 12th was the 5th anniversary of Moya Greene's appointment as President and CEO of Canada Post, and National thought it would be a good idea to mark the occasion with a show of solidarity amongst the members. 

What other things do we need to stick together about ? How about:

Sticking Together around Health and Safety issues.  

Sticking Together against Harassment.

Sticking Together against Attendance Management Programs.

Sticking Together against Short Term Disability Programs.

Sticking Together against Management's Speed-up Processes

 Service Cut Backs at Canada Post - Not Nearly as many SLB Clearances as there once was.

An Article from the Toronto Sun

Canada Post launched an investigation Wednesday after customers complained about two mailboxes on Eglinton Ave. being stuffed almost to the brim with letters left uncollected for two days.
Maureen Moyer said she feared that invitations posted to 120 doctors two weeks ago for a May 10 reception at her 586 Eglinton Ave. E. clinic "were never picked up."
"We've had no RSVPs," Moyer, office administrator at the Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine Clinic just west of Bayview Ave., said.
After complaining Tuesday to Canada Post, she phoned 10 doctors offices "and none had received them. I'll have to reschedule the event."
Moyer said an office receptionist told her she called Canada Post several times to complain of uncollected street box mail.
Peering through the narrow drop slots forced open by the mail, Moyer said "anyone could reach in here and remove some of the letters. What if there is money in them?"
"The ones from doctors may have confidential information for patients," she said. "It's not right."
Through the slots, addresses on letters from a doctor, a nearby insurance firm and a book store to private residences were easily readable.
There were also several larger envelopes that appeared to be tax-return mailers.
Some letters were postmarked with a May 4 postage meter imprint.
The boxes bore 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday collection notices, 11 a.m. for Saturdays.
Finally, after the Sun contacted Canada Post, the boxes were emptied at about 1 p.m. Wednesday. The boxes sit outside a building where tenants include medical and therapy clinics, a pharmacy and a coffee shop.
Post Office spokesman Debora Harron-Thomson said a collection from the indoor mail chute box at 586 Eglinton E. was made at 5:28 p.m. Tuesday.
The street boxes standing about 10 metres east of the building's entrance, are registered for 602 Eglinton, she said.
The clinic's parking lot attendant said "we've been complaining about those boxes for years," adding the interior mail chute was sometimes also not emptied.
A post office employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said "there have been complaints for several years about those street boxes not being emptied on time."
Harron-Thomson said "I will follow up on this because it's important. We take this very seriously."
ian.robertson sunmedia.ca

 Canada Post Community Forum - May 27th, 2010

 Elbow faces loss of only postal outlet


By Jeanette Stewart, The StarPhoenixMay 15, 2010

After 15 years serving Elbow on behalf of Canada Post, Kathy Korbo is fed up.
"I want to be paid for the hours I work," said Korbo, who operates the village's postal outlet as part of her store, The Driftwood Studio and Gift Shop.
"What (Canada Post paid) me 15 years ago is more than what they're offering me today."

Breaking down in tears during a telephone interview on Friday, Korbo explained why she decided not to renew her contract with the federal Crown corporation.
Canada Post pays her just less than $1,100 per month for the space in her shop and the time she spends sorting mail and selling stamps and other postal products. She used to receive commission on sales, but that was cut.


"I can't keep subsidizing Canada Post."

Looking after 280 mailboxes takes up so much time she says she can spend only 20 minutes per day operating her gift shop. At times she works until 2 a.m. trying to catch up on the mail.
"It was just getting harder and harder," Korbo said.
"I can't do that, I'm not young anymore."

Canada Post reviews what it pays franchisees on a regular basis, said Theresa Williams, an Edmonton-based spokesperson for Canada Post.
"We make adjustments as necessary," she said.
"Some have gone up, there could be some things that have gone down."
With Korbo's contract expiring at the end of May, people in the community are worried about what kind of postal service they will or will not be receiving.

Canada Post has asked other local businesses to take over, but no one is interested, say Korbo and Elbow Mayor David Cross.
"They haven't been able to entice another business in town into accepting their business proposal. You can read into that as you'd like," said Cross.
Korbo says other business owners in the community are surprised at how little she is paid for her work.

"They said, 'Who would do it for that amount?' " said Korbo.

Canada Post is looking for another business to take over operations and has been on the hunt since April.

If another business doesn't take over servicing the community, Canada Post may install outdoor metal super boxes for deliveries and residents will have to travel to the nearest postal outlet 13 kilometres down the road in the village of Loreburn.

That wouldn't make sense for the growing community of Elbow, says Cross.

At least 10 new homes have been built this year in four new subdivisions that have been developed in recent years. And in the summer, Elbow's population swells from 300 year-round residents to up to 800 people as retirees return to town and vacationers visit.

In addition to the inconvenience, losing the post office will have an emotional impact, says Cross.
"I think people here are disappointed and maybe a little shocked," he said.
Cross points to Canada Post's policy posted on its website, which highlights the postal service's commitment to "the way of life in rural Canada ."

"They brag quite openly on (their) website about service in rural Canada ," he said.
"I don't think this is something to brag about."

Cross is trying to get Canada Post representatives to meet with residents to clear the air on a number of different stories surrounding the situation. At this point, Canada Post has offered to meet with village council.

"We're kind of at an impasse here, but I think it's important they come out and explain to their customers what will happen," said Cross.

Quick Links...

Our Website  http://scarboroughcupw.org