Media Advisory

CUPW National President Deborah Bourque and 600-plus delegates attending CUPW’s National Convention will march to the Ottawa Manulife office tomorrow with a simple but strong message: “Manulife, Out of Our Life!”

“Canada Post is the second most dangerous place to work in the federal sector with about 10,000 postal workers injured each year for the past three years,” said Bourque. “Shame on Manulife for harassing our members when they are most vulnerable.”

Manulife Financial is Canada Post’s “disability management” enforcement agent. “Disability management” is the return-to-work process for an injured or sick worker who has taken time to recover.

According to CUPW, Manulife representatives have:

•         Contacted postal workers’ doctors without permission to ask for private medical information

•         Called postal workers at home to question them about their illness, injury or medical history

•         Interfered in postal workers’ return to work after an injury or illness

•         Threatened discipline and dismissal if postal workers don’t give up privacy rights

•         Tried to interview workers without union representation

•         Encouraged postal workers to sign letters giving up their right to medical privacy

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