CUPW and Canada Post have signed a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the stabilization of parcel hub sites under Appendix S, paragraph 7.2 of the Urban Operations agreement. 

Parcel Hubs Now “Stabilized”

The national memorandum means that all parcel hubs are considered “stabilized”, pending the implementation of restructures now underway in Calgary and Ottawa. Stabilization does not mean that all routes at all parcel hubs are structured perfectly. It just means that the hubs are generally running in line with the parcel model described in the collective agreement. 

All day to day problems relating to parcel hubs now will be taken care of through the normal means of problem resolution in the collective agreement – local consultation and the grievance procedure.

Major Success for CUPW

The implementation of the Parcel Model, or the Parcel Delivery Project, as we often called it, was a tremendous success for CUPW. It was negotiated in the 2003 round of bargaining, and involved the contracting in of Expresspost and Expedited parcel delivery in the major urban centres. Some members found the changes in delivery work methods that came with the new model difficult, but most members adjusted reasonably well to the new ways as time passed.

Big Gain of Full Time Jobs

When the model was first implemented between 2003 and 2006, CUPW gained 673 full time jobs, spread through the Mail Service Courier (MSC), letter carrier, PO4, and PO5 categories, and also in Group 3. 519 part time jobs were lost, for a net person-year gain of 308 jobs. The scheduled work hours of many remaining part time jobs also increased.

PARCEL MODEL CHANGES BY CLASSIFICATION

There have been gains and losses in subsequent restructures and plant schedule changes, mostly related to changes in the parcel volumes.

Education of Activists, Members

One side benefit of the project was the education of hundreds of members in how routes are set up under the Mail Services Courier Workload Structuring System. This happened through the dozens of courses that were offered to local activists and representatives, through “hands on” learning as observers and participants on local committees, and “one on one” by the advice and support given by Brothers Duncan and Hacking and by Sister Jarret. Many new observers learned how to use CPC’s Integrated Route Measurement Application (IRMA) software.

Thank You to Locals, Observers, Members

We would like to thank the hundreds of local and regional leaders, stewards and activists who made this initiative the success that it was. More than anyone else, it was their hard work that made it possible to obtain the job gains in their locals. Special thanks must go to Brothers Dean Duncan (Winnipeg) and Doug Hacking (Toronto) and Sister Louise Jarret (Montreal). They spent countless hours on the road providing advice and support to the local committees.

We would also like to thank the members who put up with the changes that the Parcel Model brought to their lives, and who (most of the time) understood that the good outweighed the bad.

CPC Changes Direction

Despite the hard work done to make the parcel model a success, and the difficult changes that many members had to endure, the Corporation’s new vision of the future is to channel most parcel delivery work to motorized letter carriers. 

There are pluses and minuses to this approach. But we should keep in mind that what was passed over yesterday is often tomorrow’s new idea at Canada Post – as long as someone new can get a bonus for putting yesterday’s vision forward as tomorrow’s ultimate solution. Some day the parcel model may return.