It’s been a year since I wrote Preparing for Canada Post's Imminent Collapse. Granted, by at least some definitions of the word “collapse”, my prophecy has yet to materialize. Although when you add the coming strike to the 32 day labour disruption from late last year, junk mail-free days may well end up outnumbering junk mail deliveries for the foreseeable future.
CUPW makes all other public sector unions seem positively pragmatic.
I studied under Ian Lee at Carleton, back when the earth was still cooling and the ability to correspond with professors via email was new and novel. And I recall him burning an entire 3 hour lecture discussing the future of Canada Post and the impact of email, digital billing and payments, etc. In other words, the writing has been on the wall for 30+ years, but as far as I can see management has done little except throw more fuel on the fire.
I linked to Ian Lee in my earlier Canada Post article. And it was remarkable how many of the recommendations in William Kaplan's report seemed to reflect Prof. Lee's thinking.
My hard working mail carrier is convinced that of what he's seen of corporate bloat and ineptitude, its an intentionally engineered demolition of Canada Post. The only question he had is whether the union is in on the scam or not.
Thanks David, for sifting through much of the report.
Having spent about 1/3 of my working career in 2 union shops (CEP and IUOE) and the rest in private business and running my own business, I cannot fathom the two points CUPW is stuck on (as per the quote in the article). 'Out of touch' doesn't even begin to describe the union tactics of old. If there is work to be done, you DO NOT stand idly by, looking at the task, stating, "That isn't in my job description". It doesn't fly in the real world that way, nor should it in this situation.
Adding other aspects to a floundering entity such as the aforementioned 'social hubs' and 'artisanal markets' is completely ridiculous. People don't flock to the post office for home made jewelry and hobby farm vegetables and nor will small business owners. Businesses die when they don't adapt. Canada Post is getting 'long in the tooth' and CUPW should see that and do something USEFUL for their members, such as find them alternate employment.
Canada Post has 55,000 employees, about 10% of the USPS (so relatively similar). I lived in Western Washington (state) for 8 years ending in 2014 where mail delivery anywhere in Western Washington was overnight. I returned to Vancouver Island where mail delivery on the Island is 7 to 10 days. I believe that letters have to go to Vancouver for sorting. Whether this is a CUPW impediment or management, I don't know.
I would like to see the first class letter monopoly taken from them and then privatize Canada Post by handing it over to its happy employees who would then have to compete with the private sector. If it survived 6 months, I doubt we'd be still be listening to CUPW bosses parroting Jihad.
On a related topic, I noticed that CRA now has 59,000 employees after doubling during Trudeau's reign. The IRS has 83,000 employees with roughly 10 times the volume of tax filings to process. Future material for David to investigate?
I saw calls to privatize Canada Post - quick social media posts without detail. we likely do need it to service rural and remote residents, where other delivery services do not tread as frequently or readily. But otherwise, what it does could be done by the private sector. I guess my question is: would it cost more to send a letter if Canada post was out of the biz, and how much more?
if this was the era of the transition from horse & buggy days to the automobile, it would seem that CUPW wants to maintain horses & buggies although surrounded by new and improving autos - the solution seems clear - have Canada Post contract essential services out through a competitive bidding process and close down unionized delivery of services
CUPW makes all other public sector unions seem positively pragmatic.
I studied under Ian Lee at Carleton, back when the earth was still cooling and the ability to correspond with professors via email was new and novel. And I recall him burning an entire 3 hour lecture discussing the future of Canada Post and the impact of email, digital billing and payments, etc. In other words, the writing has been on the wall for 30+ years, but as far as I can see management has done little except throw more fuel on the fire.
I linked to Ian Lee in my earlier Canada Post article. And it was remarkable how many of the recommendations in William Kaplan's report seemed to reflect Prof. Lee's thinking.
My hard working mail carrier is convinced that of what he's seen of corporate bloat and ineptitude, its an intentionally engineered demolition of Canada Post. The only question he had is whether the union is in on the scam or not.
Thanks David, for sifting through much of the report.
Having spent about 1/3 of my working career in 2 union shops (CEP and IUOE) and the rest in private business and running my own business, I cannot fathom the two points CUPW is stuck on (as per the quote in the article). 'Out of touch' doesn't even begin to describe the union tactics of old. If there is work to be done, you DO NOT stand idly by, looking at the task, stating, "That isn't in my job description". It doesn't fly in the real world that way, nor should it in this situation.
Adding other aspects to a floundering entity such as the aforementioned 'social hubs' and 'artisanal markets' is completely ridiculous. People don't flock to the post office for home made jewelry and hobby farm vegetables and nor will small business owners. Businesses die when they don't adapt. Canada Post is getting 'long in the tooth' and CUPW should see that and do something USEFUL for their members, such as find them alternate employment.
Canada Post as a "social hub". Right. How long would it take to get a beer?
Canada Post has 55,000 employees, about 10% of the USPS (so relatively similar). I lived in Western Washington (state) for 8 years ending in 2014 where mail delivery anywhere in Western Washington was overnight. I returned to Vancouver Island where mail delivery on the Island is 7 to 10 days. I believe that letters have to go to Vancouver for sorting. Whether this is a CUPW impediment or management, I don't know.
I would like to see the first class letter monopoly taken from them and then privatize Canada Post by handing it over to its happy employees who would then have to compete with the private sector. If it survived 6 months, I doubt we'd be still be listening to CUPW bosses parroting Jihad.
On a related topic, I noticed that CRA now has 59,000 employees after doubling during Trudeau's reign. The IRS has 83,000 employees with roughly 10 times the volume of tax filings to process. Future material for David to investigate?
Beat you to it, I've already written about the huge jump in CRA employment: https://www.theaudit.ca/p/what-does-federal-government-look-like
Although there's probably a bigger story there to pursue.
a good union employee with a nice defined benefit pension plan would believe that narrative, sure.
I saw calls to privatize Canada Post - quick social media posts without detail. we likely do need it to service rural and remote residents, where other delivery services do not tread as frequently or readily. But otherwise, what it does could be done by the private sector. I guess my question is: would it cost more to send a letter if Canada post was out of the biz, and how much more?
I saw calls to privatize Canada Post - quick social media
if this was the era of the transition from horse & buggy days to the automobile, it would seem that CUPW wants to maintain horses & buggies although surrounded by new and improving autos - the solution seems clear - have Canada Post contract essential services out through a competitive bidding process and close down unionized delivery of services