The Canadian Postmaster - IN THIS ISSUE: "Survey Says " Your Responses to the Pandemic and more!
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Summer 2021
The Canadian Postmaster
Tell Y
Support Rur our MP:
al
as Communi Post Offices
ty Hubs !
IN THIS ISSUE:
"Survey Says..."
Your Responses to the Pandemic
and more!
Contents
1. National President's
Message
3. Notice of Annual Meeting
4. Just For You Training
In Memoriam The Canadian Postmaster is published and
mailed to members twice a year.
5. Health and Safety News Agreement No. 40069832 / ISSN 0008-4794
6. Union Representatives
8. Survey Says!
CPAA Members CPAA National Office
on Pandemic Measures
National President
13. Send a Letter
Brenda McAuley
to Your MP:
National Vice President National Vice President
Support Community Hubs! (English) (French)
Dwayne Jones Daniel L. Maheux
Office Manager /
Accounting Financial Adminstrator
Sylvie Duguay
Our magazine cover photo
shows Carla Reid and IT Specialist
Karen Earle from Bishop’s Falls, Pascal Leroux
Newfoundland, sporting Communications Director
some great masks! Aalya Ahmad
Senior Administrative Assistant
Please send us photos of your
Vanessa Leblond
post offices and yourselves!
You can email them to: Administrative Assistant
mail@cpaa-acmpa.ca Andréanne Ménard
National
President's The employer has committed to
providing a sturdier barrier for
Message all who request one. If you
installed one at your own expense,
you should be reimbursed for it.
Your survey answers gave
A s the world continues to ride the waves of this our union a lot of support to be able to take issues
pandemic, at last an end is in sight. to the employer, but we did notice that most who
All CPAA members who have been working so responded had not contacted their union for
faithfully on the frontlines deserve speedy assistance with their issues. We want to make sure
vaccinations! That is why in February of this year, that all members know your Branch and National
I co-signed a joint letter with the other postal representatives are there to help you! Please check
unions and with the employer to all provincial this magazine, the CPAA website, and your Branch
and territorial public health authorities responsible newsletters to make sure you have your reps’
for the vaccine rollout. We reminded them contact information handy. If the Association does
that we are essential workers and need to be not know there is a problem, we cannot help with it!
prioritized in the vaccination queue. The isolation imposed by the pandemic
I know from the membership survey we has made it very difficult to keep some of our
included in the last magazine that the beginning activities going. As you can see, Branch Conventions
of the pandemic was a frightening and confusing once again took place by teleconference and it is
time for our members, and we want to make sure unfortunately necessary to once again reschedule
you are getting what you need as we near the end. the Just for You trainings, which will be offered next
Your answers to our survey were read carefully year with an extra session to make up.
and taken to heart. A report on the survey results Also, the Canadian Labour Congress
is included in this magazine, and your Association convention will be electing new leaders this year
thanks every member who took the time to fill out by a virtual vote. Our members have seen our
their survey and return it to us. offices flooded with parcels and our health put
We wasted no time in bringing some of the continually at risk. Large corporations like
main issues and problems that you highlighted Amazon have profited hugely and their CEOs
to the attention of the employer, such as the have made billions from this pandemic while
flimsiness of the protective barriers. We already we could be facing more cuts and austerity
knew this was an issue from hearing from our measures to pay for pandemic benefits to
members and Branch officers, but with so many ordinary working people. More than ever,
members identifying the barrier as inadequate, we need strong voices to speak for the labour
it gave us more power to push the issue at movement. As one of Canada’s smallest national
labour-management meetings. unions, our Association are very mindful of our
members’ needs when it comes time for our
delegates to cast our votes.
The Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association
281 Queen Mary, Ottawa, ON K1K 1X1
Telephone: 613-745-2095 Fax: 613-745-5559
Email: mail@cpaa-acmpa.ca
Website: www.cpaa-acmpa.ca
1
Pay Equity Settlement by easing their departure with ATMs in our post
CPAA members have been more than patient with offices. We stated that our preference would be to
the many delays while we wait for pay equity work with credit unions as generally they are more
money. During the week of May 17th, the Corporation community-focused, owned by their customers,
began mailing successful claimants an agreement to and can charge lower or no fees via their networks.
not disclose the amount of the settlement and The Corporation is moving ahead with its financial
following receipt of that signed agreement, we were services plans for 2022 and to date, we have
advised that it should take around 8 weeks for the proposed two concrete pilot projects. We will keep
cheque. Any questions about amounts should be you informed as those projects take shape, being
directed to the pay equity claims processing office. mindful that different work triggers demands for
I know this has all taken far too long but decades sufficient training, staffing and hours.
later, I look forward to celebrating the results with
all of you! Could Your Post Office Be a
Community Hub? Tell Your MP!
Financial Services The Corporation is now also showing movement
Since August of last year, Daniel Maheux and I have on the idea of post offices as community hubs and
been meeting with the Canada Post Corporation has proposed doing some pilot projects along these
financial services team. The Corporation was clearly lines. Of course, as rural Postmasters and Assistants,
already exploring several financial offerings when we know that our workplaces are already considered
we sat down to talk with them. After years of as hubs by our communities! But what additional
campaigning for postal banking, it is a good thing to services could be offered? What else might we and
have a basis to begin with other than “No,” but we our neighbours get out of a visit to the post office?
have had fundamental debates with the Corporation Aside from financial services, some other ideas we
about how financial services at a post office should propose for community hubs are:
work. For example, many of our members already
cash government cheques for customers in post • Telehealth portals
offices with no nearby banks. This can be done by (remote consultations with medical experts)
loading the money onto prepaid Visa cards. Canada • Government services
Post had a partnership with the credit union Vancity (license renewals, registrations, etc.)
to underwrite these cards. The problem is that there • Electric vehicle charging stations
is a hefty activation fee to use the card, and other
• Bus transit hubs
hidden fees as well.
• Information on environmental initiatives
In all our discussions with the Corporation,
(how to apply for energy rebates, etc.)
we have repeatedly expressed our concerns about
costly surcharges for our customers. Canadians
• Community services (domestic violence
already pay some of the highest fees in the world for resources, etc.).
banking. Many postal banks in the world offer low or
even surcharge-free ATMs and other services, and Our National Political Action Committee strongly
we wanted to look at those options. Of course, we are encourages all CPAA members to take action to
not opposed to the Corporation making some money move this forward. The more services we can
from financial services – after all, our position was offer, the harder it will be to justify closing rural
and is that these services can help fund our public post offices. In this magazine, you will find a letter
post office. But we do not want to gouge our to your MP that you can pull out, sign, address, and
customers by piling on fees. mail (please note: postage to MPs is free).
We also raised concerns about Canada Post's If you can, please take a moment to let us know of
proposals to partner with big banks to offer financial your action by sending an email to the Committee
services. Our former pilot projects were partnerships at politicalactionpolitique@cpaa-acmpa.ca.
with the Bank of Montreal and with Scotiabank, but
we know from our research that big banks are Not sure who your MP is?
abandoning rural Canada in many areas and we did Find them at www.ourcommons.ca.
not want them to close branches and kill those jobs
2
Labour Relations
We currently have 160 open grievances. We have
closed seventeen grievances since the start of the
year, and opened five new grievances. There
were two arbitrations scheduled for 2021 and
National Annual
three more will soon be scheduled. Meeting to be held
The Association is currently in discussions
with the Corporation on various issues which we by conference call
hope can be resolved without filing grievances.
Some of these discussions touch on hour
allocations for post offices, compliance to the October 7, 2021
Canada Labour Code, and the process to follow for
24 hours notice of interview. Specifically, to the 2 pm EST
last point above, the Association has put the
Corporation on notice that we do not agree to All members are welcome
virtual 24-hour notices of interview meetings.
We strongly feel that if our members can be to participate.
exposed to the public daily, the least managers Please RSVP to the
can do is to get out of their offices and show
some respect for our members. As for the
National Office
Corporation’s non-compliance to the Canada by September 29 if you
Labour Code changes which were enacted in are planning to be on the call
September 2019, the Association also put the
Corporation on notice that we will not accept and we will provide
further delays and all options are on the table you with the conference
as far as remedy is concerned. Lastly, with the
increase in parcels due to the pandemic, our
call number
offices need more hours and in many cases and the passcode.
more staff. We are pursuing discussions with
the employer to hopefully bring some relief
to our members.
Our National Labour Relations Officer,
Sonia Dupuis, has retired as of May 9th.
We thank her for her years of service to the
Association and wish Sonia all the very best.
Our National office staff have been working hard
throughout the pandemic and I am grateful for
their support. All of us are looking forward to
returning to a new normal with the lessons of the
pandemic firmly in mind. These lessons must be
remembered in the years to come. We can take
what we have learned from our experiences and
make things better for all frontline workers, our
most vulnerable members of society, and our
families.
In closing, I would like to honour our
members who have fallen victim or lost loved
ones to this pandemic. The Association will
never forget.
3
JUST FOR YOU TRAINING DELAYED DUE TO PANDEMIC
On March 1, the CPAA Board of Director made the difficult decision to cancel
the planned Just For You training sessions we had hoped to offer in 2021. Members
will remember that the 2020 sessions were similarly cancelled because of the
pandemic. Unfortunately, vaccines are only now being made available to
vulnerable and high-risk Canadians, and this as we are increasingly hearing of
another wave, driven by Covid-19 variants.
At this time, inter-province travel is only allowed with two weeks of quarantine.
Under these conditions, it is impossible for us to plan training sessions where we
typically bring members from different regions, provinces, and territories.
Therefore, the CPAA Board of Director decided that two sessions of Just For You will
be held in 2022 and also 2024. This will ensure that members who could not apply for
the popular training sessions in 2020 and 2021 will not be left out.
Please be sure to look for the Just For You application bulletin that will be inserted in the
Spring 2022 issue of the Canadian Postmaster magazine.
Daniel Maheux
National Vice-President
Chair, Education and Training Committee
IN MEMORIAM
Harry Adcock Constance Johnson
Lanceville, BC McLeese Lake, British Columbia
(Former Branch President)
Roseanne Laidlaw
Patricia Alexander Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia
Crescent Valley, British Columbia
Edward A. McAlaster
Andrea Cooper Rose Valley, Saskatchewan
Trinity TB, Newfoundland
Angela Smith
Candice Genaille Monteith, Ontario
Cormorant, Manitoba
Mary Elizabeth Twolan
James Krawec Kemptville, Ontario
Wierdale, Saskatchewan
Janet Welburn
Churchill, Manitoba
Our most sincere condolences to their family and friends.
Health and Safety News
The pandemic has raised multiple health and safety issues.
While CPAA members say they are feeling safer now that
protective equipment has reached post offices, we
still need to protect and improve our health and safety
measures.
Health and Safety Representative Elections
The elections of new Health and Safety Representatives
have taken place. Elections ran from May 3rd to May 23rd.
On June 6th, the results of these elections were conveyed
to CPC and our new Health and Safety Representatives
began their two-year mandate on June 14th.
Thanks are due to all our members who put their
names forward for this important responsibility.
Please ensure you know who your Health and Safety
representatives are. They should be a point of contact
and kept informed about any and all health and safety
concerns in your office.
Mandatory Face Coverings
Barrier photo and section on Better Barriers
As of April, CPC face masks became mandatory, first in and How to Get Them courtesy of the
plants, then in collection and, finally, in delivery and all Newfoundland and Labrador Branch.
retail location. Exemptions to the mandatory face covering
requirement still apply. Customers who indicate they have an exemption (based on a human
rights ground such as disability) should be taken at their word and accommodated appropriately.
Accommodations could include serving your customers wearing a face shield while separated by
the protective barrier, having another person access services on the customers’s behalf, or alternate
customer accommodation options.
All our members are encouraged to contact the police if customers become abusive or
refuse to wear masks without exemptions. If there are concerns with your co-workers and
drivers, please contact your Branch representatives immediately.
Better Barriers and How to Get Them
New shields are beginning to arrive in our CPAA offices. If you haven’t received one yet, contact your
LAS to add your office to the list. There are several choices offered by CPC that you can request. If you
receive a shield that is not suitable for your office, please contact your LAS and another solution will be
found for your protection. The following 4 types are presently in use:
1. The original shield that is suspended from the ceiling. If yours is in disrepair, you may order another
one from the LAS.
2. An upgraded suspended shield which is larger (54 inches wide) and can be tethered to the
counter so it will not move when the door opens. The quality is slightly better than the first one.
3. A wooden base shield that lays on the counter (size approximately 24 wide x 32 high).
4. An upgraded shield that is attached to the counter with 2-sided tape. The size is approximately
54 inches wide with a 9-inch-high opening, which allows for a large flat rate box to go through,
and also allows the customer access to the Verifone.
Dwayne Jones
National Vice-President
Chair, Health and Safety Committee
5
CPAA REPRESENTATIVES AND COMMITTEES
National Office
Phone: (613) 745-2095 Fax: (613) 745-5559 Email: mail@cpaa-acmpa.ca
Brenda McAuley National President BrendaMcauley@cpaa-acmpa.ca
Dwayne Jones National Vice President (English) DwayneJones@cpaa-acmpa.ca
Daniel Maheux National Vice President (French) DanielMaheux@cpaa-acmpa.ca
Branches
Full contact information for your CPAA Branch representatives can be found on our website at www.cpaa-acmpa.ca.
Newfoundland and Labrador Branch
Kimberly V. Hunt, President kvhuntcpaa@gmail.com
Shari Porter, Vice President shariporter@hotmail.com
Sherry-Lee Williams, Sec.-Treas. sherrywilliamscpaa@gmail.com
Mary Green, Director emcooper130@outlook.com
Catherine Chazalon, Director catychazalon.cpaa@gmail.com
Maritime Branch
Jacqueline Mingo, President mingoja@outlook.com
Eugene Verdon, Vice President eugenecpaa@outlook.com
Lynn Saunders, Sec.-Treas. LynnSaundersCPAA@hotmail.com
Lisa MacDonald, Director lisamacCPAA@hotmail.com
Mallori Nickerson, Director malloricpaa@gmail.com
Québec Branch
Steeven Roy, President s.roy.acmpaquebec@gmail.com
Chantal Coulombe, Vice President ccoulombe.acmpa@gmail.com
Odette Desgagnes, Sec.-Treas. odettedesgagnes.acmpa@gmail.com
Guylaine Myre, Director g.myre.acmpa@gmail.com
Marie-Eve Laberge, Director melaberge.acmpa@gmail.com
Ontario Branch
Connie Kelloway, President connie4cpaa@sympatico.ca
T. Anders Carson, Vice President anders4cpaa@gmail.com
Judith Potter, Sec.-Treas. judy4cpaa@bell.net
Lisa Graham, Director lisa4cpaa@gmail.com
Brigette Faucher, Director brigittefauchercpaa@outlook.com
Carrie Hendsbee, Director carrie4cpaa@gmail.com
Manitoba Branch
Janet Johnson, President jjohnsoncpaa@gmail.com
Raymond Bonk, Vice President rbonk.cpaa@hotmail.com
Hope M. Toporowski, Sec.-Treas. hopecpaa@mymts.net
Kimberly Houston, Director kimbcpaa@gmail.com
Christine Ott, Director christine.cpaa@gmail.com
Saskatchewan Branch
Yolanda Kreitzer, President yolanda@cpaask.org
Shelly Haugen, Vice President shelly@cpaask.org
Janelle Christensen, Sec.-Treas. janelle@cpaask.org
Crystal Dumonceaux, Director crystal@cpaask.org
Amanda Hannah, Director amanda@cpaask.org
Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut Branch
Xan Moffat-Toews, President xan@abntnucpaa.com
Gerry Henry, Vice President gerry@abntnucpaa.com
Jacqueline Strong, Sec.-Treas. jacqueline@abntnucpaa.com
Michelle Brousseau, Director michelle@abntnucpaa.com
Arlene Baird, Director arlene@abntnucpaa.com
Karen Luger, Director karen@abntnucpaa.com
British Columbia and Yukon Branch
Carolyn Elliott, President carolyn.elliott@cpaa-bcyukon.com
Denise Sorensen, Vice President denise.sorenson@cpaa-bcyukon.com
Natalie Barabonoff, Sec.-Treas. natalie.barabonoff.cpaa@shaw.ca
Marina Johnston, Director marinajohnston1964@gmail.com
Janice Elliott, Director janicecpaa@gmail.com
CPAA Committees
Appointment of committees by President Brenda McAuley, who is a member ex-officio of all committees.
Negotiating - Dwayne Jones (Chair) - Carolyn Elliott (Co-Chair) - Yolanda Kreitzer - Janet Johnson
Training and Education - Daniel Maheux (Chair) - Connie Kelloway - Steeven Roy - Janet Johnson
- Yolanda Kreitzer - Jackie Mingo
Finances - Yolanda Kreitzer (Chair) - Jackie Mingo - Kim Hunt - Steeven Roy
Bylaws and Policies - Connie Kelloway (Chair) - Xan Moffat-Toews - Carolyn Elliott - Janet Johnson
Labour Relations - Daniel Maheux (Chair) - Dwayne Jones
Health and Safety - Dwayne Jones (Chair) - Kim Hunt - Xan Moffat-Toews
Sub Committees
Job Evaluation / Strategic Planning - Daniel Maheux (Chair) - Brenda McAuley - Dwayne Jones
Job Evaluation / Reevaluation - Daniel Maheux (Chair) - Dwayne Jones - Brenda McAuley
Political Action - Brenda McAuley (Chair) - Carolyn Elliott - Kim Hunt - Jackie Mingo - Connie Kelloway
Email the Political Action Committee - politicalactionpolitique@cpaa-acmpa.ca
Liaison Fund - Daniel Maheux (Chair) - Connie Kelloway - Steeven Roy - Jackie Mingo
Consultative Committee on Benefits - Brenda McAuley
Staffing - Dwayne Jones (Chair) - Carolyn Elliott - Connie Kelloway
Collective Agreement Committees
Disability Support and Safe Early Return to Work - Brenda McAuley - Daniel Maheux - Dwayne Jones
Isolated Posts - Kim Hunt (Chair) - Xan Moffat-Toews - Dwayne Jones
Pension Advisory - Dwayne Jones (Chair) - Brenda McAuley
Uniform Committee - Brenda McAuley (Chair) - Shari Porter - Amanda Hannah
Allocation of Hours - Dwayne Jones (Chair) - Daniel MaheuxAnd The Survey says...?
In the last magazine, our members were asked to take a survey about how they were
coping at work under pandemic conditions.
A total of 567 members responded to the survey (an almost 8% return rate*).
We appreciate the time youtook to complete this survey and record your thoughts.
Your concerns are being heard and you are not alone. With information from the surveys
in hand, we can be sure we are standing on solid ground when the Association takes
your concerns to the employer.
The following is adapted from the executive summary submitted by our Communications
Director to the CPAA National Executive Board.
369 (65%) of respondents
chose to remain anonymous.
248 (43.7%) of the surveys
were returned with the name of
the post office left blank and the location
could not be identified.
Of those we could identify, here
is the breakdown by region.
Quebec: 85 (26.6%)
Ontario: 34 (10.7%)
Alberta: 29 (9.1%)
Saskatchewan: 26 (8.2%)
Manitoba: 24 (7.5%)
BC: 18 (5.6%)
New Brunswick: 16 (5%)
The high level of anonymity
makes it difficult to follow up
on and resolve specific issues.
Such a high level of anonymity
might be due to members' fears
of retaliation: this is a concern! Valerie Dempster, Postmaster at Sandy Cove
on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland,
makes an excellent point about kindness.
8How Safe Are You Feeling At Work in This Pandemic?
Did Not Say 1.6%
Very
More
Unsafe
Than
5.8%
Safe
9.5%
Somewhat
Unsafe
26.6%
Safe
56.6%
Have You Contacted Management About Pandemic-Related Concerns?
Did Not Say 1.6%
Of the approximately one-third
who said they had contacted
management, most said it was
responsive to pandemic-related
concerns.
However, “responsive” was
sometimes indicated as Yes
negative; for example,
32.6%
management responded to
requests only to deny them. No
65.8%
Almost 90% of members had
not contacted the Association
for any assistance: of those
who did, about two-thirds said
they had found it helpful.
9Gerry Henry, Vice President
of the Alberta, Nunavut, and
Northwest Territories Branch,
holds up a sign for his office with
the art used on the thank you
stamps from the employer.
While it would have been ideal to
pay for the postage for members
to return their completed surveys,
that was not in the budget for
this time around. We noted many
“thank you” stamps that were
issued by the Corporation on
those incoming envelopes.
As many of you remarked, this
gesture did not go nearly far
enough to thank CPAA members
for our hard work, but at least in
this way, we put those stamps to
some good use - in speaking out
about our working conditions.
What Protective Equipment Have You Received in Your Post Office?
100
Many members had comments
about the quality and quantity of
personal protective equipment they
received. Fewer than half of our
80 members had received any training
about pandemic measures.
Many members complained about
the barrier and took care to
60 separate it from the other
equipment they had received.
40
(Percentage)
20
0
Masks Hand sanitizer Cleaning Signs Barriers Training
Supplies
10How Would You Rate This Equipment Overall?
Did Not Say 1.2%
Inadequate 4.4%
More Than Somewhat
Adequate Adequate
26.5% 20.1%
Adequate
47.8%
How Would You Rate The Pandemic Measures in Your Office Overall?
Did Not Say 0.7%
Inadequate 4.4%
More than
Adequate Somewhat
21.3% Adequate
19.2%
Adequate
51.3%
Just over three-quarters (75.6%) of respondents indicated that the overall pandemic
measures were adequate or more than adequate. For this question, respondents often
commented that their own efforts and those of their coworkers made the difference
to the overall quality of pandemic measures, reflecting your personal contributions to
a safer workplace.
11#3 Heavy Workload
Your Top 4 Issues
"We were already cut to the bone and this made it worse."
#1 The Flimsy Barrier Members stated that their workload left them no time
to do the extra cleaning tasks necessitated by the
"The plastic film is flimsy, hard to see through, pandemic, such as wiping down surfaces between
customers. Some members wrote that they were
and impossible to keep clean easily." working unpaid overtime to try to keep their post
offices sanitized.
The inadequacy of the thin plastic shield issued by
Canada Post was the number one issue. Members Members wanted to know why the extra hour for
complained that the shield was not suitable for their cleaning had been taken away in the second wave
post offices because it was designed to be hung of the pandemic and suggested reinstating paid time
from drop ceilings that they did not have; that it did for cleaning or hiring cleaning staff.
not cover counter areas, that it was impossible to
keep clean, that it moved with doors opening, and Some members were upset at having to deal with
that customers simply walked around it. more customers in the post office due to the safety
precaution of no-signature for delivery drivers. They
Some members reported that they hung up clear described being so busy, they had no time to take
plastic shower curtains to try to shore up protection, breaks or eat lunch. Members complained of a lack
while others paid out of pocket to have plexiglass of replacement staff and assistance, and described
installed. In a very few cases, members indicated that feeling stressed, burned out and exhausted by their
they were eventually able to have plexiglass installed. increased workloads. They very clearly sent the
by the employer, but others said their requests were message: “Hire more staff!”
denied, not followed up on, or that plexiglass was
difficult to source. Members noticed them in other Others suggested extra paid time, hazard pay, or a
stores in their communities and wanted to know bonus to compensate for the increased workload.
why Canada Post could not do the same for their
employees.
#4 Non-cooperative, Aggressive Customers
#2 Slow Delivery, Poor Quality PPE "I shouldn't be responsible for policing people but
how do you get people to do the right thing?"
"Took awhile with some of these items and what
bothered me is how slow Canada Post is on looking Members described stressful experiences of
after its employees compared to the banks and aggression having to deal with customers who either
other businesses." refused to wear masks, wore their masks improperly,
or became abusive when asked to put on a mask, in-
While the supplies were slow to arrive at first, members cluding being spat upon, threatened, and yelled at.
generally found them adequate when they arrived.
In some cases, offices received far too much! Other The fact that post offices were busier than usual
offices received masks and gloves that did not fit added to the tension and stress. Working in small
properly and were sized too big for women. rural communities made it difficult for members to
call the police or press charges as these customers
A need for more and better gloves was identified as were also their neighbours.
well as for dispensers for hand sanitizer at entrances.
Other than the anti-mask customers, members also
A “one-size-fits-all” approach was clearly not described people coming by more than once a day
working for many members who suggested instead to alleviate boredom, moving the plastic barrier aside
that those responsible for getting supplies to offices with their hands, not observing social distancing, or
check in with them to assess the needs of individual entering the post office with symptoms such as runny
offices or that post offices be able to request what noses, coughs or sneezing.
they need rather than have automatic shipments.
Members also noted that the quality of the masks There seemed to be quite a lot of uncertainty and
was poor, that they made their own, and that they a lack of clear direction for members regarding
would have preferred masks made in Canada enforcement of safety policies. Some suggested
rather than in China. having a door guard.
12"This has been challenging and draining in new and different ways - listening daily to who's
coughing in the lobby, approaching them saying to "please send someone else for your mail until you're
feeling better." Cleaning everything after they leave then resuming regular work. Some days not enough
time to do all the work. Breaks are a distant memory - sometimes I can sneak a grape or 2 before serving
next customer... It's just stressful - came home for Christmas and cried."
"My customers put me in danger. They "Our shields are pathetic. For a corporation our size
don't believe the virus is real and don't we should have more than just 2 or 3 pieces of
take appropriate preventative measures. plastic. The banners supporting our heros are
They only wear masks amazing but money as well
occasionally and they don't could have been put towards
respect the 6 foot distance. us, the employees."
It is very stressful."
"It would be nice to have "Most of the protective
someone call and check in equipment has come in crazy
with us every so often. quantities. I have so much
Some days are okay, but sanitizer I can swim in it...
other days are very over- In a small office not only will
whelming. Especially it take forever to use but we
when working alone. have nowhere to store it. I had to
Also, help with childcare store some in my garage at home.
would be amazing. It is On the other hand, I
hard to ask for help when have emailed twice now to
in the difficult times, but request more gloves and I
if someone were to call and haven't got a reply or any sent...
ask how it's going and see I have had, at the beginning of Covid, two cases where
what is needed, that would be so I was told to report it to the RCMP, customers yelling,
helpful" ripping down signs... I feel like I don't have any backup
here. I know most people here and this pandemic has
"Having all the PPE is only good changed everone. You never know what you're going to
if all employees use them and get when someone comes through the door ... "
follow all the rules."
"We had no masks or barriers to protect
"I work in "cottage country" and all of the us unless we put in measures ourselves.
customers from the cities were flocking up But CPAA people are always left to last for
here… I have never been busier, without safety, equipment, etc. We now have what
extra help or consideration." we need to protect ourselves, except maybe
the time for cleaning things. We do the
best we can." "
Photo shows a post office window display
in Altamont, Manitoba, as part of the
CPAA Manitoba Branch's "Rainbows and
Teddy Bears" campaign.To My Member of Parliament,
I am one of over eight thousand Postmasters and Assistants. Our union, the Canadian Postmasters and
Assistants Association (CPAA), has represented rural post office operators across the country since 1902
and our post offices have always been the beating hearts of Canada's rural communities. We serve well
over 6 million rural Canadians on a regular basis.
The pandemic and lockdowns have demonstrated beyond a doubt the importance of having local access
to postal and other vital services. That is why I am writing now to ask that you show concrete support for
the launch of community hub pilot projects for rural post offices in your riding.
During the last review of Canada Post, a government-appointed task force suggested expanding our range
of services: "In essence, the post office could become a community “hub” since it would become a community
resource centre. Internet “bridging services” would allow residents to connect to the rest of Canada,
including businesses and various services at all levels of government."
("Canada Post in the Digital Age" Discussion Paper, section 7.7)
The federal Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates stated that: "Many rural and
remote communities have limited access to government services. Canada Post could use its vast network of
post offices to deliver these services... According to the Task Force’s survey results, 75% of Canadians support
this option." The Committee recommended that Canada Post explore pilot projects and find ways to leverage
its vast network to offer expanded services ("The Way Forward for Canada Post," 2016, section 4.3).
In order to promote social cohesion, environmental improvements, financial inclusion, and other vital social
and economic benefits, our rural post offices could offer such things as:
• Telehealth (remote consultations with medical experts)
• Electric vehicle charging stations
• Transit stops in isolated areas
• Information on environmental initiatives
• Community events and resources (such as resources for abuse survivors, etc.)
• Financial clinics
• Pop-up kiosks for local artisans and producers
and more...
Please call or email the CPAA National Office (613-745-2095 or mail@cpaa-acmpa.ca) to discuss how you
as a Member of Parliament could enact these recommendations and support rural constituents like me by
helping to expand the community hub role that rural post offices like mine already play. With your support,
we will keep the heart of rural Canada beating.
Sincerely, My Address / Post Office:You can also read
