National Grievance File

In a letter dated December 31, 2008, the employer informed the Union that it doesn’t intend to reimburse CUPW for all expense claims submitted to Canada Post. The employer is refusing to reimburse the Union for all expenses incurred in relation to the work and activities of the union members of the Transition Committee, in accordance with Article 34 and others of the collective agreement, as well as all related agreements and/or policies. The employer is violating the provisions of the collective agreement and related agreements.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers finds that the Corporation has failed to abide by Appendix “P” of the collective agreement by not maintaining the ratio of regular full-time employees at 78 %, in violation of paragraph 1 (b) of this Appendix, and by not creating the required number of regular full-time employees, as set out in paragraph 2 (d). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, CUPW further submits that the employer calculated the adjustment rate and the adjustment factor as described in sub-paragraphs 1 a) v) and vi) incorrectly and in a manner inconsistent with past practice and inconsistent with representations made to the Union in past rounds of bargaining when the Appendix P ratio was negotiated and renewed. CUPW maintains that these are deliberate violations of the collective agreement. The Corporation’s actions also violate clauses 39.02, 39.03 and 39.06 of the collective agreement.

The employer has failed to abide by the collective agreement by obstructing the right of its employees to apply on an informed basis for vacant positions in a postal installation within a 50-kilometre radius of their current postal installation. The information indicated on the posting of vacant routes is incomplete and does not enable employees to make an informed decision, and they may suffer adverse effects as a result. Furthermore, the employer is not posting vacant routes in all of its postal installations and is only posting these on the internet or Intr@post. The employer is therefore failing in its contractual obligations.

Annual RSMC compensation currently comprises the employees’ wages as such on the one hand and vehicle expenses on the other hand. The employer has advised the union that as part of its implementation of a bi-weekly pay system, wages will be paid with a two-week time lag. This is contrary to established practice and will result in changing the employees’ annual revenue. The employer is violating the provisions of the collective agreement and the Canada Labour Code.