It’s Time for More Full-Time Regular Jobs in Group 1

Group 1

Today there are thousands of temporary workers at Canada Post. These workers:

• Remain at the lowest wage rate although they do the same work as regular employees
• Have no job security
• Are not covered by the health, dental and sick or disability insurance plans
• Have no guaranteed hours
• Cannot plan their future

Many temporary workers stay working at Canada Post hoping to obtain full-time employment. In some locations Group 1 members have to wait many years to obtain regular employment even though CPC has the ability to create full-time positions.

Management Prefers Precarious Work

Appendix ‘P’ in the existing Urban Operations collective agreement sets a minimum ratio for full-time hours in Group 1. Canada Post management could staff to maintain the ratio, but intentionally violates it, blocking the creation of full-time positions. History shows it is possible to maximize the use of full-time employees to perform the work. The problem is that senior management at the national level does nothing to require management in the processing plants and retail facilities to staff properly.

More Full-Time Jobs Will Benefit Everyone

Staffing with regular full-time positions will not only benefit temporary workers. Creating full-time positions would also give part-time employees the opportunity to become full-time.

Also, more full-time positions would allow for greater rotation of duties and greater transfer opportunities for existing full-time employees.

It Can Be Done

When management wants to staff properly it can do so without sacrificing efficiency:

• In 2004, 2005 and 2006 all of the work in the Saskatoon, Regina and Saint John N.B processing plants was performed by full-time and part-time regular employees.
• In Halifax in 2005 all of the work was performed by full-time and part-time regular employees.
• In London in 2004 all of the work was performed by full-time and part-time regular employees.
• In 2004, 2005 and 2006 both Winnipeg and Toronto South Central plants operated with less than 1% of the hours being worked by temporary workers.

However, under Moya Greene and Deepak Chopra, management ended the policy to maximize full-time jobs. Since then management has chosen to rely on precarious employment instead of creating decent, secure full-time, middle-class jobs.

It is Time to Maximize Full-time Regular Employment in Group 1.

In Solidarity,