Report - How CPC Inaction Will Prolong the COVID-19 Crisis
Dear cousins & comrades of the Edmonton Local,
Good news is in short supply these days and I wanted to share some with you yesterday but wasn't able to finish my report in time. Please find that report, and other important local info below:
- How Canada Post’s Inaction Will Prolong the COVID19 Crisis (Report)
"Since late Jan 2020, CPC had awareness of COVID19 and over 50 days to implement anti-COVID19 measures. After over 40 days of CPC inaction in Edmonton, it took less than a week of collective workfloor pressure to force CPC to act. Edmonton’s experience is that safety measures were only implemented with urgency by CPC once workfloors began openly discussing, and preparing, to refuse unsafe work. We expect that any further improvements will require similar pressure. As will be shown, similar conditions exist all across the country."
The full report, as well as the 15 demands that were fully, or partially, accommodated by CPC due to workfloor pressure can be found here. It would also be a big help for all those on Facebook to find our CUPW Local 730 - Edmonton & Affiliates page, like our page, and share this note (as posted there) with any postal workers you know, and help boost it on the CUPW (Unofficial) page so other locals might be inspired to push back in the same way. Our local is starting to get better protections but many locals are still in dangerous shape. - Love (For Our Posties) In The Time Of COVID19
Goodwill is flooding in from the public for everything we are doing to help them navigate this crisis. Please send pictures to this email of any kind notes that you are left so that they can be posted on the gallery to help put a boost in the steps of every postal worker in this local. The photo album entitled "Love (For Our Posties) In The Time of COVID19" can be found here, though you may have to scroll down a bit to find it. - News For Those Already On Special Leave
Our Health & Safety officer, Rashpal Sehmby, asked me to pass along this message. Please contact him (780-423-9000 ext 4) if you have any further questions.
"For any members who've had to self-isolate due to any symptoms in relationship to COVID-19 and have been called by any Canada Life Representative. If you continue to have symptoms or are still not well this will mean a continuation of Quarantine Leave. I am hearing Canada Life is trying to get those still suffering illness and had to Self-Isolate to apply for Short Term Disability. This is going to be very hard for our members to do as we are to self-isolate until the symptoms are gone. It doesn’t make any sense for an ill person to be trying to go out to get medical paperwork filled out and possibly risking cross contamination of any sort.
I've also heard from our Regional Office that CPC reps, such as managers and others, are following up with our members and asking questions to our members similar to what Canada Life may be asking. Let me be clear, your personal medical information is not to be shared by CPC directly in this manner. If you are called by Canada Post, ask the CPC rep if they are qualified under medical practices to be making such an assessment. If you feel you have already been pressured to apply for STDP let my office know immediately. Please get the full name of the person that has called you, along with the date and time. In order to not cause financial hardship to any members it may be best to apply for STDP under duress. You can let Canada Life know this. We will then file the appropriate grievances on this financial hardship to our members." - Valuable C19 Resources
- Petition - The public petition supporting safe working conditions for postal workers during the C19 crisis is steadily gaining steam. Please visit the petition here and email it to your friends and family.
- CUPW National Updates - Any update coming from National will be posted here first. To be sure you don't miss anything important, subscribe to their email list here.
- CUPW 730 Twitter Account - Not many of our members have twitter, but those that are can help boost our social media presence and spreading the good word of our struggle by following us @cupw730
- CPC COVID19 Work, Travel & Leave Policies - If you have any questions about how CPC is treating certain C19 related issues, a good first place to check before talking to a steward or contacting our office, is to check out their infopage here. If after researching your question there you still need clarification, please talk to a trusted shop steward or contact our office.
- Petition - The public petition supporting safe working conditions for postal workers during the C19 crisis is steadily gaining steam. Please visit the petition here and email it to your friends and family.