1908 - First rural route established between Ancaster and Hamilton, Ontario.

1948 - Postmasters and assistants recognized as employees and members of the Civil Service.

1953 - First Association of Rural Route Mail Couriers formed. (Subsequently dissolved.)

1981 - Government of Canada changes the national postal service from a government department to a Crown Corporation with the Canada Post Corporation Act. Article 13.5 of the Act denies mail contractors any rights under the Canada Labour Code, including the basic rights to organize and to bargain collectively. Verbal assurances are given that this exclusion is temporary only, and that the tendering process and working conditions will be improved.

April 22, 1985 - Sue Eybel, a rural route mail courier, sends out 100 letters to other rural route couriers in the Hamilton area, then calls a meeting of a new Association of Rural Route Mail Couriers.

February 14, 1986 - Rural route mail couriers hold a Valentine's Day demonstration on Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, to publicize their demands to be recognized as a union.

May 2, 1986 - Association of Rural Route Mail Couriers of Canada applies for standing in the Canada Labour Relations Board review of the bargaining structure of Canada Post Corporation. Their application states that the rural route couriers fit into the external group bargaining unit, the Letter Carriers Union of Canada (LCUC).

September 1986 - Canada Post announces a new system of public tendering for rural routes, thus betraying assurances of 1981 that tendering processes would not be changed to the detriment of incumbent couriers.

1986-1987 - The Association of Rural Route Mail Couriers asks members to sign union cards with the Letter Carriers Union of Canada (LCUC); the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) also begins to sign up couriers.

October 7, 1986 - The Canada Labour Relations Board grants the Association of Rural Route Mail Couriers standing in the postal review.

November 5, 1986 - Canada Post's Five-Year Plan tabled in the House of Commons: rural post offices to be closed and/or privatized; many rural routes to be eliminated or amalgamated.

December 14, 1986 - Founding meeting of the grassroots activist group "Rural Dignity" to fight for rural postal service.

January 1987 - Canada Labour Relations Board hears the arguments in rural route mail couriers' case; Canada Post argues that the rural route mail couriers fall under 13.5 of the Canada Post Corporation Act, are not employees, and therefore cannot form a union and bargain collectively.

February 16, 1987 - Canadian Labour Congress convenes meeting of rural route mail couriers, the Letter Carriers Union of Canada and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. The CLC issues a separate CLC Charter for the Rural Route Mail Couriers, Local 1801. Sue Eybel becomes president.

April 1, 1987 - Changing a long-standing practice, Canada Post opens all rural route mail courier contracts for bidding as they expire; couriers no longer assured of contract renewals.

April 1, 1987 - The Association of Rural Route Mail Couriers applies for union certification. Letter Carriers Union funds challenge to section 13.5 of the Canada Post Corporation Act.

April 29, 1987 - Canada Labour Relations Board finds that rural route mail couriers are employees within the meaning of the Canada Labour Code and can therefore unionize and bargain collectively.

1987 - Canada Post appeals Canada Labour Relations Board decision in Federal Court of Appeal. Labour Relations Board decision overturned as in circular argument Federal Court finds 13.5 prevents rural mail couriers from being considered as employees and from being covered under the Canada Labour Code.

December 1987 - Rural Route Mail Couriers' Local 1801 has more than 2,600 members.

May 1988 - Supreme Court of Canada denies the rural route mail couriers permission to appeal decision of the Court of Appeal.

December 1990 - Member of Parliament Bob Speller introduces a Private Member's Bill calling for the repeal of Section 13.5 of the Canada Post Corporation Act "to eliminate discrimination against rural route couriers"; the bill is not passed.

February 1993 - Government of Canada announces moratorium on closure and privatization of rural post offices.

November 1995 - CUPW sends initial letter to rural route mail couriers; excellent response.

February 15, 1996 - CUPW submits brief to the Radwanski Canada Post Mandate Review recommending, among other things, that the Canada Post Corporation Act be amended to permit rural route mail couriers to organize into unions and exercise collective bargaining rights.

May 1996 - CUPW's national convention decides to organize rural route mail couriers.

October 1996 - Report of the Canada Post Mandate Review does not comment on status of rural route mail couriers.

March 1997 - Founding meeting of Organization of Rural Route Mail Couriers (ORRMC), organized by CUPW. Representatives of former association work with new members and CUPW representatives to build new group to fight for rights for rural and suburban service mail couriers.

March 1998 - First annual general meeting of ORRMC. Executive elected. Rural Dignity's co-ordinator invited to speak to group and subsequently hired by CUPW as campaign co-ordinator.

Labour Day, Sept. 1998 - CBC TV's "Newsmagazine" airs 15-min. feature on the injustices faced by rural and suburban service mail couriers. Media work ongoing part of campaign.

Autumn 1998 - Sign-up campaign conducted by teams of ORRMC members and CUPW organizers. About two thirds of the couriers join the ORRMC.

December 1998 - ORRMC and a number of unions and social justice groups from Canada, the United States and Mexico file complaint in Washington under the North American Free Trade Agreement. (Right to hearing turned down.)

Winter 1999 - Signatures collected by ORRMC members and allies for petitions presented in the House of Commons. Petitions central to the community and political campaign, and become an on-going activity. ORRMC Executive and provincial representatives. meet MPs in ridings.

Spring 1999 - Intensive lobbying of MPs in Ottawa by ORRMC Executive. The name and cause of the organization gaining political and public profile. Message also out to labour and coalition partners.

June, Nov. 1999 - ORRMC Executive meets with André Ouellet, President of Canada Post. Promises made, but not delivered.

Autumn 1999 - MP Pat Martin (NDP) presents Private Member's Bill calling for the deletion of 13.5

April 5, 2000 - Pat Martin's Private Member's Bill voted on; the Bill fails by just four votes. Strong and clear demonstration of all-party support for justice for the ORRMC.

April 2000 - ORRMC launches its own stamp in response to Canada Post's issue of rural mailbox stamp; CPC not amused! President of ORRMC takes cause to government-sponsored rural issue conference.

May 2000 - ORRMC meets jointly with the Minister Responsible for Canada Post and the President of Canada Post. They speak only of "improvements," but no employee recognition. Ouellet subsequently writes to the ORRMC that he sees "no point" in further meetings.

Autumn 2000 - ORRMC active in election campaign: meetings with candidates, questions in public election forums, and signatures on a "giant postcard for a giant problem" campaign.

December 2000 - Letters sent to leaders of political parties, as well as key political contacts.

March 8, 2000 - ORRMC launches new video "Basic Rights" on International Women's Day.

2002 - Delegates to the ORRMC Annual General Meeting unanimously pass a resolution to sign up rural and suburban mail couriers as members of CUPW. Delegates to CUPW's National Convention adopt an action plan calling for a campaign to sign up rural and suburban mail couriers.

2002 - CUPW demands that Canada Post contract in rural and suburban mail couriers.