What would happen to injury rates under the new methods and technology of Modern Post? Don’t expect Canada Post to tell you.  While CPC doesn’t make it their job to look out for your health and safety, your union does.

We hired a third party to conduct a thorough study on Canada Post’s proposed delivery method The study used motion-capture technology in the field, and provided detailed analysis afterward. It was up to the union to do this work, because Canada Post thought they could just roll out the new methods without studying the impact first. We couldn’t let that pass.

Findings

It turns out the study has uncovered numerous serious concerns.

• According to the report, the proposed method of delivery is “likely to increase the risk of injury by both increasing the joint demand and the amount of sustained posture and muscle exertion.” There are many factors involved, like the weight of bundles, awkward postures, new limitations on speed of movement, decreased visibility, and difficulty in changing positions.
• Slips and falls are already the highest cause of injury for letter carriers. Will the new method help? To the contrary: “The proposed method also increased the risk of slips, trips and falls because the larger bundle in front of the letter carrier reduced visibility of ground.”
• The two-bundle method restricts letter carriers’ movement and makes it impossible to use both hands, which means more stress and strain to reach different types of receptacles.
• In general, “The proposed delivery method is a greater concern as it results in longer duration of sustained exertions and limits the ability to change postures. The proposed dual bundle method would likely increase the risk of injury.”

The report also includes recommendations on how to reduce exposure to unhealthy conditions.

The study found it would be harder to keep the mail dry with the two-bundle method, and more difficult to avoid dropping it.

We will continue to defend our health and safety

We believe that new technology and methods must be safe before they are implemented. We can’t stand by while the employer rolls out new methods that put our members in harm’s way. By arbitration and by every tactic we have, we will make them hear us: our members deserve more respect, and our members’ safety will not be sacrificed for the convenience of Canada Post.

The executive summary of the report is now available to members upon request. Please take part in upcoming union activities and help show our solidarity. An injury to one is an injury to all!