Detectives and sleuths were on the prowl at plants and post offices on May 17. Magnifying glasses and binoculars were used to hunt for Canada Post’s strategic plans. Around offices, under desks, below supervisor’s shoes and inside filing cabinets—no stone was left unturned.

The 60-day ultimatum calling for Canada Post to release its strategic planning documents has ended. We have now begun the search for information ourselves. We have the right to know about and fight any plans to reduce, privatize or deregulate our public postal service.

Here are a few regional highlights:

Quebec City
The search was on in a serious way in Quebec, where the mail processing plant at 300 St. Paul is slated for closure. The pink panther and other trench-coat clad detectives used magnifying glasses while searching for secret documents on the impacts of the closure and what Canada Post has in store for the postal network.

Calgary
“Make way for Dick Tracy and the press,” was hollered to the workfloor as CUPW members dressed in reporter and “Sherlock Holmes” inspector-wear began a search of supervisors’ offices looking for information on closures and strategic plans. With a director and labour relations manager in tow, the group combed around, under and on top of desks and filing cabinets.

New Glasgow
Members in New Glasgow equipped themselves with search warrants to post on the doors of the Canada Post local area manager and superintendent. The detectives did a brief search of the workfloor but were refused entry into the offices. What is Canada Post hiding?

Kamloops
Members donning trench coats and magnifying glasses took the hunt for secret documents further afield in Kamloops, with a trip to the MPs and Mayor’s offices. When searching the mail processing plant, managers said there were no plans to shut down the plant in Kamloops. What about post offices? What about service cut-backs? And what about communities elsewhere?

Toronto
Canada Post managers in Toronto must really have been scared. Gateway, the central mail processing plant, was locked down with all offices closed with lock and key. All the same, a group of local officers demanded documents needed to represent CUPW members in Toronto.

What’s Next
Despite the thorough search of post offices and plants, the planning documents are still missing. If the information is not in plants and post offices, maybe it’s at Canada Post headquarters. The hunt will move there on June 19 to search for the plans.

What you can do:
• Sign the letter to Moya Greene
• Make plans to participate in June 19 actions or send solidarity messages
• Contact your Member of Parliament about the threat of closures, the need for transparency and the importance of universal postal service. Your local has received a telephone script.