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Postal workers protest door-to-door delivery cuts

Community mail boxes, said Devitt, increase traffic in small areas and mean more safety liabilities for municipalities.
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Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 612 and their families gathered in Minnow Lake as part of a national day of protest against Canada Post's cuts to door-to-door mail delivery. Photo by Jonathan Migneault.
Community mail boxes, said Devitt, increase traffic in small areas and mean more safety liabilities for municipalities.

Devitt and his fellow union members gathered at Adamsdale Park in Minnow Lake Saturday to protest Canada Post's plans to cut door-to-door deliveries in Sudbury and other communities.

Last December Canada Post announced its plans to end home delivery to five million homes over a five-year period to help it compete as the volume of mail delivered to Canadians declines.

“It reflects what the company heard from Canadians during a recent cross-country discussion with residential and business customers,” Canada Post said in a press release at the time. “These discussions confirmed many of the new patterns the company has seen unfolding at its post offices, in its processing plants and in the makeup of the mail.”

Two-thirds of Canadians already use community mail boxes, Canada Post has said.

Dave Merrick, president of CUPW Local 612, said his union estimates half of Greater Sudbury's 64 Canada Post letter carriers could lose their jobs over the next three years, as the Crown corporation phases out door-to-door deliveries.

Members went door-to-door Saturday to distribute pamphlets to residents to inform them about the upcoming service cuts.

They also hosted a BBQ that afternoon, where they invited local politicians, including Sudbury MP Glenn Thibeault, to hear more about Canada Post's plans.

“Hopefully the next federal election the Conservatives won't get into power,” Merrick said.

With his eight years of experience as a Canada Post letter carrier, Devitt said he will probably lose his job, or be forced to move to another city, if the expected job cuts occur.

“It has a huge impact on my life,” he said.

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Jonathan Migneault

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