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Postal Workers on the Front Lines Serving Canadians Insist that Canada Post Ensure Its Workers Are Protected While Canada Post has been quick to announce that the corporation, "will continue to operate during this unprecedented time" and that "we will do everything we can to keep this country's Postal Service going," postal workers' needs to perform their work in a safe manner have been systematically ignored. Postal workers' concerns are not only for their own safety but for that of the public as well. In many work places the corporation has failed to allow the Joint Health and Safety Committees at various levels to be involved in the regular monitoring of the conditions of work. Properly functioning Joint Health and Safety Committees are required by the Canada Labour Code and the committees are required to post reports of their work on all work floors. These requirements have been systematically ignored and workers are left in the dark about what safety measures are being taken. Moreover, in the absence of a serious consultation mechanism between management and the workers' representatives and between the workers' representatives and the workers, workers who raise concerns about their health and safety are being defamed as chronic complainers, and the complaints are dismissed. Postal workers report that work processes have not been changed to allow for the required social distancing. This is taking place not only in plants but also for letter carriers who have to continue using cabs to go to their routes. This means that many workers are in and out of the cabs all day creating a risk with each ride. In some cases there are two workers sorting at frames that are designed for one person. Another concern is that Canada Post has not increased the size of the cleaning staff in letter carrier depots and sortation plants. This means that a workplace which is dusty and dirty in normal times is now becoming a serious health hazard as workstations are neither cleaned nor sterilized on a regular daily basis. This level of cleaning must be done at least once a day which requires a larger cleaning staff. The lack of proper cleaning and sterilizing on work floors also applies to break rooms and restrooms. Many plants and work areas also report that hand sanitizer dispensers have been empty for days and gloves are not available. Instead of providing the problem with a viable solution, perpetually empty bottles of hand sanitizer are not considered a problem. It is clear that the corporation has been negligent in providing health and safety measures for work processes and the equipment needed to keep postal workers safe. A bulletin issued by the national office of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers on March 22 to update workers about recent meetings with Canada Post Corporation (CPC) senior management clearly shows the negligence of the corporation. The bulletin states, "Management stated they expected to receive a shipment of nitrile gloves in two or three days. Concerning the liquid sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, CPC is discussing with the government to get on their priority procurement list. They have also set up a process where management or employees can purchase these items if they find them and be reimbursed for them." These kind of measures are aloof and not acceptable. They show that the corporate representatives do not face the same working conditions as the workers and thus show a total lack of respect for the workers who are on the frontlines providing such an essential service in difficult situations. CPC's answer to the need for a comprehensive plan to set up cleaning of work areas is just as dismissive. Their claim to have increased the frequency of cleaning simply does not correspond with the experience of workers in many cities. Without a proper functioning local Joint Health and Safety Committees which have the responsibility to report to each work floor and show results, it is impossible to properly respond to problems raised by the workers in a timely manner. Workers are not only put at risk which translates to putting the public at risk, but a stressful situation increases the health problems. It is an irrational approach due to aloofness and bureaucracy with which the workers have to settle scores. A good example of the corporation's attitude is the out of hand dismissal of the suggestion of letter carriers to temporarily stop the sorting and delivery of nonessential flyers. The workers suggested that by eliminating this work the amount of time spent in letter carrier depots will be reduced and in turn the risks of working in close quarters would also be more manageable. Delivery of flyers is not essential to the public, especially at this time, so eliminating the considerable extra time spent in the depots is a measure which would go a long way to showing concern for the safety of letter carriers during these emergency conditions. So far Canada Post has refused to take any action on this proposal. Apparently, the profit made from the delivery flyers is more important to the corporation than providing as many safety precautions as possible to protect postal workers. Through its actions the corporation has not only failed to protect postal workers but it has also failed to properly manage the important service which postal workers provide. Canadians can play a role by insisting that Canada Post Corporation act immediately to rectify the situation to ensure neither workers or the public are put at risk and postal operations can continue to provide the service which is so crucial at this time when such large parts of the population must remain at home.
This article was published in Article Link:   Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca |
As
the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak requires
large portions of the population to
self-quarantine, the service provided by postal
workers is more important than ever to keep
lines of communication open at a time on-line
shopping becomes a main means households are
using to provision themselves. Enabling postal
workers to carry out their tasks means that
workers in sortation plants, retail offices and
letter carrier and rural and suburban mail
carrier depots must be provided with equipment
and working conditions they require to ensure
their safety on a daily basis.