NEW GLASGOW – Though no one has lost a job at Canada Post offices in New Glasgow, a position has been eliminated.
An employee at one of the local Canada Post offices has moved from mail sorting position into letter delivery.
The vacant mail-sorting job won’t be filled.
Anick Losier, director of media relations for Canada Post, says the position was axed due to changing times and a need for greater efficiency. “The most humane way to reduce our work force is through attrition,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of people retiring as well and when the time comes, we’ll look at those positions and see if they’re absolutely essential to our operations.”
The news follows on the heels of Canada Post’s announcement that local mail would be sorted in Halifax rather than New Glasgow, “In addition to that move, we also conducted a review of our schedule given the significant decline in mail volume,” said Losier. “People are just not sending mail as much anymore. As a result, we need to look at ways to remain cost effective so we do not become a burden on taxpayers.”
But here in New Glasgow, Kevin Peterson isn’t convinced.
Peterson, president, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Local 087 (New Glasgow) believes Canada Post misled workers and the public. While conceding that no one currently employed had lost his or her job, he said Canada Post spokesman John Caines was stretching the truth when he said “[Canada Post] employees will continue to have job security,” in The News on Jan. 4.
“Mr. Caines should check the head count at the New Glasgow post office where there is now one less worker as a result of this move,” said Peterson. “Seems to me that results in fewer jobs in Pictou County.”
Peterson believes that the corporation’s emphasis on efficiency is short sighted and hurts employees.
“We have one of the best public post offices in the world, which continues to be profitable despite the claims of needing to become more efficient at the cost of thousands of jobs across Canada.”
Losier disputed Peterson’s claim of profitability however, citing a third-quarter loss in 2012 of $75 million due to accelerated mail volume declines.
Canada Post’s 2011 annual report noted the Crown corporation’s first financial loss after 16 consecutive years of profitability. The loss before tax was $327 million.
She defended the corporation’s customer service in New Glasgow. “Delivering the mail and parcels door to door in New Glasgow is a cost to us, but we’ll continue to provide that service because it’s our advantage over other delivery companies.”
Peterson is skeptical that the move to sort local mail in Halifax will result in greater efficiency.
“[Canada Post] claims it will be a two-day turnaround but I just can’t see how they can possibly do this.
"This is a just another example of Canada Post’s attack on rural Canadians,” he said
