March 20, 2006

Canada Post suggests "Operation Honesty"

In a media campaign launched in Ottawa last Wednesday, CUPW argued that Canada Post lacked transparency. Canada Post has been straightforward and clear with respect to its plans for Quebec City, sharing information and details more than two years in advance with the union and the public. In fact, Canada Post has met with CUPW more than a dozen times since the initial announcement was made, re-iterating on numerous occasions that absolutely no full-time or part-time employee will lose his or her job as a result of the change.

The union further suggested that their campaign would include "non-violent civil disobedience" and "search and seizure" tactics, citing Gandhi and other civil rights causes as a source of inspiration. Canada Post finds the comparison of the closure of the Quebec facility to great movements for social justice objectionable, given the excellent job security, pay, pension and benefits currently afforded to our employees.

Here are the facts:

• Like any large company, Canada Post has for the past 15 years made changes to its network and operations, in light of market changes and the need to process mail more efficiently. As a result of our efforts to improve and modernize, we consistently deliver mail on time 96% of the time and have been profitable now for more than 10 years.
  
  
• Furthermore, Canada Post employees make good wages, enjoy great benefits, iron-clad job security and a fully indexed pension plan.
  
  
• We are making all changes according to the provisions of the collective agreement.
  
  
• Most importantly, not one single full-or part-time employee will lose their job. The changes are being phased in over a period of two years to take advantage of the high number of retirements that will take place in Quebec City.
  
  
• Canada Post will continue to manage its operations as it has always done, seeking opportunities to modernize whenever possible while respecting job security and ensuring our high levels of service are maintained or improved.

As a business, Canada Post must modernize and improve operations to stay competitive and successful. We owe it to our shareholder, we owe it to our customers and we owe it to all Canadians. First and foremost, we owe it to our employees who are counting on our continued success to safeguard their job security, fully indexed pension plan and highly competitive compensation and benefits.