The Liberal government has more than kept its promise to end the closure of rural post offices.
According to statistics provided last week by the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, which represents rural postal workers, 19 small towns have functioning post offices now that did not two years ago.
There are 3,576 rural post offices operating across the country, including 1,318 in Western Canada.
“These (19 additions) would have been post offices in which the postmaster had retired or was sick and Canada Post was hoping to close,” Leroy Kuan, CPAA president said last week. “When it became clear the government was serious and the postal mandate review would recommend continuing the moratorium on rural closings, they hired staff for these post offices.”
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He said Canada Post has had “a very clear message from the government” that it is serious about no more rural postal closings. “When there was a vacancy before, it would be left and the post office was reviewed for closing but now, vacancies are filled quickly.”
The rural postal closings, accelerated as policy during the Conservative governments of the 1980s, were justified as money-saving moves. Harvie Andre, then-minister responsible, accused the critics of living in some romantic past when rural post offices were social gathering sites.
The Mulroney government closed down more than 30 percent of the 5,221 rural post offices it inherited.
Kuan said last week his union always argued that Canada Post was not accurate to cite cost savings as a reason to close rural post offices.
This month, the annual report on Canada Post for 1996-97 gave him more evidence.
A chart comparing the annual cost per delivery point showed rural mailbox costs are among the lowest.
Meanwhile, Canada Post used its annual report to continue its battle with unionized mail sorters and delivery workers who could strike later this year.
The issues include wages and a demand by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers that the corporation hire more full-time staff instead of relying increasingly on part-time and contract workers.
Canada Post recorded net income last year of $112.5 million, up more than three-fold in a year.
Yet it insisted a priority for the new year must be further cost reduction.
More labor cuts coming
“The corporation believes that there remains potential for substantial Canada Post labor-related cost improvements, particularly in the mail delivery system,” said the report.
“These changes will be possible only through constructive collaboration between Canada Post and the unions over issues of improved flexibility and reductions to the amount of paid unproductive time.”
CUPW representatives said the corporation is trying to force a strike, in the belief the government will side with the employer and legislate workers back to the job.
