Canada Post Woes (merged)

[Genetk44]

Back in 2000 when I returned to Canada and had to go to the post-office for the first time to buy stamps and mail a letter…it really left a bad taste in my mouth having to pay PST and GST on stamps….seemed like double or triple taxation. Then in 2007 when I was staying at a friends house in the US and saw they had home mail delivery by the US postal service on Saturdays is when I realized we were getting the shaft in Canada. I realize there are many factors involved in the problems affecting Canada Post, from unions to management to distances and population density and politicians to competition. But mostly I suspect alot of cost-cutting decisions by management are resposable for the demise of service.

 

[dapaterson]

USPS is also running huge deficits annually z and will require radical review of their model or large influx of tax money. TANSTAAFL

 

[IKnowNothing]

cost cutting decisions by management are resposable for the demise of service.

Nah. It's a TV killed the radio star situation, which the union has petulantly decided to ignore and handcuff the corp and gov's ability to react to.

I fully believe that some sort of National scope, accessible, low cost mail delivery is an essential service, and as such is worthy of some taxpayer funding. But that scale of that service and how it is delivered need to be grounded in modern reality.

 

[Brad Sallows]

But mostly I suspect alot of cost-cutting decisions by management are resposable for the demise of service.

Tech is mostly responsible. The demise of service has been going on since at least the invention of the telephone.

Unions have varying amounts of collective intelligence that shows up as intelligent bargaining and adaptation to reality; CUPW is very low on the list. They doggedly try to preserve outmoded inefficient unnecessarily costly delivery services, and consequently deserve their fate.

 

[lenaitch]

Unions have varying amounts of collective intelligence that shows up as intelligent bargaining and adaptation to reality; CUPW is very low on the list. They doggedly try to preserve outmoded inefficient unnecessarily costly delivery services, and consequently deserve their fate.

Urban (pedestrian) mail carriers are paid by the route. Our daughter's next door neighbour is a carrier and is very fit so can make a good pace. He is usually home by noon.

 

[Nvlgzr]

Back in 2000 when I returned to Canada and had to go to the post-office for the first time to buy stamps and mail a letter…it really left a bad taste in my mouth having to pay PST and GST on stamps….seemed like double or triple taxation. Then in 2007 when I was staying at a friends house in the US and saw they had home mail delivery by the US postal service on Saturdays is when I realized we were getting the shaft in Canada. I realize there are many factors involved in the problems affecting Canada Post, from unions to management to distances and population density and politicians to competition. But mostly I suspect alot of cost-cutting decisions by management are resposable for the demise of service.

We did have Saturday delivery; when it was taken away there were complaints but we quickly accepted it. Letter delivery took hits in 2 forms: 1st self inflicted with constant strikes (or threats of) and drop in prompt service
2nd and great consequence ; the invention of email, then smart phones with messaging. Talk to the Hallmark people about greeting card sales.

When Harper took away mail delivery in new or recently built neighborhoods there were plenty of complaints but most of it was around it being unfair that so and so gets to keep personal delivery and I don’t. I personally never liked Harper but I think he did the right thing with mail and getting equipment to CAF. On both he just didn’t go far enough.

 

[Nvlgzr]

Canada Post needs to slash management as well. Found this on Reddit from a year ago, not sure how accurate it is. I question why so many managers, directors, and why does the CEO of an insolvent business make $450k.

 

[Nvlgzr]

https://preview.redd.it/canada-post-salaries-v0-7x2u41081l0e1.jpeg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=97b6a29e933c4efe3614e28e020f97796773f535

 

[MacNav63]

Started my career in management at Canada Post in the late 80s. Left, came back in the late 90s as a consultant and then rejoined management for a few years before leaving again in 03. These changes are long overdue and, indeed, management has tried to implement them before on more than one occasion. They are perennially caught between the rock of CUPW and the hard place of politics.

Want to close rural post offices? Try telling that to the local MP. Worse yet, trying telling that to the Centre when in many communities in QC the post office is flying the only Canadian flag for miles around.

And CUPW? Probably the most unreconstructed Marxist union in the country, with a firm belief in the concept of the workers controlling the means of production. Absolutely no concept of working with management to solve problems. Or if anyone was bold enough to try, the hardliners would jump on them. There is absolutely no concept of adapting to compete.

I live in a village in Ottawa with a rural post office. Before the Covid-induced proliferation of delivery services I used to dread ordering something that would be delivered by Canada Post. If I wasn't home for the delivery or it was too big to fit in the community mail box, the parcel would go to the rural post office for me to pick up. It's open from 8:30 to 5:30 except for an hour at lunch and then again Saturday morning. On the other hand a 10 minute drive into Orleans takes me to a post office counter at Shoppers that's open until 8pm weekdays and on Saturday and Sunday.

This is a sunset industry that should probably have been privatized 20 years ago when it still had some enterprise value.