Capilano
Delivery Center Restructure
On Thursday, January 13, 2005, Canada Post consulted
with the Union regarding the upcoming CDC restructure. At that
consultation, Canada Post provided the Union with a general overview of
its plans with particular emphasis on how the CDC restructure will be
affected by the implementation of the Vancouver Parcel Project.
It is hoped that this bulletin will be helpful in
informing CDC employees of the changes that are in store for the future.
Please note that Canada Post’s plans may change with little notice, so
it is possible that there may be further developments throughout the
course of the restructuring process.
The CDC restructuring process officially commenced on
January 31st, and is currently scheduled for implementation
on August 15, 2005.
Plan B Restructure
The CDC restructure will be a Plan B restructure,
which means that letter carrier routes will be restructured without the
benefit of a volume count. Instead, Canada Post will rely upon the data
that was gathered during the previous volume count as a basis for the
restructuring the new letter carrier routes. For obvious reasons, the
Union has very serious concerns with the quality of the data that was
generated from the previous volume count, but the collective agreement
does not require Canada Post to have a volume count for each
restructure. The Union did identify a number of known problem routes so
that those routes could be given particular scrutiny during the
restructuring process.
Vancouver Parcel Project
The implementation of the CDC restructure will
coincide with the implementation of the Vancouver Parcel Project. Under
Appendix S of the collective agreement, the parcel delivery that was
previously contracted out to Combined Urban Services (see “Dolphin
Delivery”) will to be returned to the CUPW bargaining unit by the
fall of 2005. Notwithstanding, Canada Post has set August 15, 2005 as
the implementation date for the Parcel Project.
The return of our parcel work was one of the gains
obtained by the new collective agreement, and will help in ensuring our
future job security. However, the return of the parcel work will
reorganize Vancouver’s parcel operation. As of August 15th,
parcel operations will be based out of Vancouver’s parcel “hubs”
at either the Vancouver Mail Processing Plant (VMPP) or the Vancouver
Parcel Distribution Center (VPDC). The new parcel system will be set up
so that Mail Service Couriers (MSC) will report to one of the two
“hubs”
This reorganization will have the effect of removing
parcel delivery functions from many letter carrier installations. For
example, MMC stations such as SVDC and Station S have been or will be
restructured with limited parcel delivery, as much of that work will be
assigned to MSCs who will work out of Vancouver’s two “hubs”.
However, there is positive news. Management has
advised that West Vancouver mobile routes will handle all parcel
deliveries for West Vancouver. Mobile routes in Main and Depot 2 will
also deliver parcels, but only for their own routes. Mail Service
Couriers will handle the parcel deliveries for foot routes in North Van
Main and Depot 2.
New Time Values
Following years of technical studies, the parties at
the National level have recently agreed to introduce certain time values
to the Letter Carrier Route Measurement System (LCRMS) and the Mail
Service Courier Work Measurement System (MSCWSS). As a result, the CDC
restructure will be affected by several new time values. There will be
improved time values for Relay box clearances and Street Letter Box (SLB)
clearances. In addition, an interim time value for mailmobile stops will
be implemented at .65 minutes per stop. Further, interim time values for
DRS items (redirect mail) will be applied to each individual CDC route.
Management has advised that there will be no retroactive changes to the
time values that were used to assess the sortation and preparation
methodology of each route.
Transportation
Canada Post has advised that all CDC routes will be
“portal to portal”, which simply means that letter carriers will be
provided with transportation and the appropriate time values to return
to the CDC facility following the completion of their shifts. Excluding
those routes that will use corporate vehicles as a means of
transportation, employees will be transported to and from their routes
by taxis. Canada Post has advised that it will likely structure routes
so that no more than two employees will share a taxi ride per trip. As
usual, Canada Post will try to market the private vehicle option as an
alternative mode of transportation, but take care to review the
ramifications of that option. Once the incumbent of a PV route, an
employee will not be able to use his/her seniority to bid on another
route. For more information on private vehicles, please see your shop
steward.
Off Site Lunch Facilities
In keeping with its current restructuring trend,
management will structure certain mobile routes to use off site lunch
facilities. As a result, many mobile routes will likely be assessed
greater workloads because of the reduction in travel time. Management
advised that any mobile route that is beyond five minutes of travel from
the CDC facility may be structured to use an off site lunch facility.
Off sites will only apply to routes that are structured to travel by
corporate vehicles, and will not apply to routes that are structured to
travel by taxis. Along with a CUPW observer, CPC route measurement
officers will be reviewing possible off site locations as a part of the
restructuring process, and any potential site must offer proper eating
and restroom facilities. Some of the possible sites that were mentioned
at the consultation include a recreational center and several fast food
outlets. Employees who are structured to use off sites will be provided
with a beverage allowance.
Relay
Bag Delivery
At the January 13th meeting, management
advised that mobile drivers will continue to deliver relay bags for CDC
foot routes. However, management also advised that each mobile route
might be structured to deliver relay bags for up to three (3) foot
routes. The Union noted the folly of that approach, and observed that
timely relay bag delivery has historically proven to be a characteristic
problem at Motorized Letter Carrier (MLC) and Motorized Mail Courier (MMC)
facilities. At the time of this writing, management is reconsidering its
options in terms of the number of foot routes to be assigned to each
mobile route.
Route Inventories
While inside time values will remain static during
this restructure, there are still opportunities to maximize the assessed
value of each route. Route inventories are frequently incomplete or
inaccurate because of changes that have taken place on a given route.
Please ensure that you are being proper credit for
each point of call on your route. There is a route measurement package
for each CDC route, and there is a 038 form for each block included on
your route. These documents are available for your review, and even a
cursory examination of your 038s will confirm whether or not your route
has been properly assessed.
Particular scrutiny should be given if your sortation
case features altered or handwritten case strips, because those
alterations are frequently made as a result of changes to the number of
points of call.
Observers
While Canada Post route measurement officers
restructure letter carrier routes, the Union has certain rights in terms
of our participation in the restructuring process. Under the terms of
the collective agreement, the Union has the right to designate a Union
observer for each restructuring exercise. The role of the Union observer
is to ensure that the restructuring process is being conducted in strict
accordance with the work measurement system outlined in the Letter
Carrier Route Measurement System (LCRMS). The LCRMS is a comprehensive
document that has been incorporated into the collective agreement by
reference.
At the CDC restructure, two Canada Post route
measurement officers will be simultaneously restructuring letter carrier
routes. In order to ensure CDC’s representation in the restructuring
process, Alana Kenyon and Dale Zerr have been designated as the Union
observers for this restructure. Any concerns or questions relating to
this restructuring process may be brought to their attention.
Alternately, any questions or enquiries may be forwarded to any of the
officers at our local office.
I hope that this bulletin has been both informative
and helpful in identifying some of the changes that will take place as a
result of the CDC restructure.
In Solidarity,
Ken Mooney
President
CUPW Vancouver
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