City backs call to save door-to-door mail delivery

Prince Albert city council unanimously stood behind the call to save door-to-door mail delivery by Canada Post.

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 810 were on hand to ask council to support the national campaign to save door-to-door. It’s the union’s response to Canada Post’s plans to phase in community mailboxes in cities across the country, while phasing out door-to-door delivery service.

A presentation by representative Ed Lamarche painted a bleak picture of litter scattered around community mailboxes, potential mail thefts and job losses. The job losses likely won’t come until after Jan. 31, 2016 when the current contract with Canada Post ends.

“Canada Post has said there will be no job losses. However, once that contract is up, who knows what’s going to happen with them after that,” Lamarche said.

He estimated that 13 jobs may be lost as a result of the Crown corporation’s decision to move away from door-to-door delivery in Prince Albert later this year.

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Coun. Tim Scharkowski changed the motion from a receive and file of the information presented by CUPW to supporting the union’s resolution.

He explained the City has already lost a few jobs, adding some postal service jobs in the community may have also been affected because local mail is now sorted in Saskatoon.

Scharkowski pointed out laundry service worker jobs will be lost when North Sask. Laundry closes, and the province is looking to privatize correctional food service worker positions.

“And I don’t think Prince Albert can actually lose too many more of those medium to … higher-paying wage jobs. We can’t, I don’t think, take any more losses. We got to fight back somewhat so, I’d like to support that resolution and put it forward.”

But Coun. Ted Zurakowski expressed his frustration with what appears to be a lack of a plan presented to the City by Canada Post. He said there are many unanswered questions the City needs to have answered.

“Certainly we have concerns. Absolutely. And we need answers to these questions. And if this resolution gets us there, then that’s one step. But frankly, in my opinion, we need answers to these questions,” he said.

He followed that up by asking if Canada Post has presented a plan to cities for implementing community mailboxes.

Mayor Greg Dionne then told council the Crown would notify the City about the locations planned for community mailboxes. He said the City will have a say regarding site selection because the boxes will be going into greenspaces.

“I can tell you why they picked Prince Albert and some of the cities that they did. [It] is because quite a majority of our city now [is] serviced by those mailboxes and are doing quite well.”  He said this is especially true in the Crescent Acres area.

According to CUPW Local 810 vice-president Danielle Day, 400 communities across the country have already had their councils pass this resolution.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames