May 8, 2010

(Letter sent to the editor of the Fredericton Daily Gleaner)

Letter to the Editor:

As a follow-up to the article that was published on May 8 in the Daily Gleaner, we would like to rectify information about our recent changes in the mode of delivery to 39 customers on Hanwell Road.

We changed the mode of delivery to some residents on Hanwell Road for one reason – employee safety. The letter carrier on that route raised safety concerns a few years ago and we investigated. The results of the investigation supported the safety concerns raised by the letter carrier – that walking up and down that stretch of street 5 days a week year round wasn’t safe. The volumes of traffic, along with the absence of sidewalks or useable shoulder posed unacceptable safety hazards to our delivery personnel.

As a responsible employer who puts safety first, we needed to make a change. Both parties – the employee and Canada Post – have agreed on the change to be implemented and local union and health and safety committee was also informed. Customers were notified and the new delivery system was put in place. We appreciate this choice may not be popular with some customers, but it was done for the right reasons. It is also a widely used delivery method in neighbourhoods across the country.

The statements made by the local union that this decision is about cutting costs or changing delivery in other locations are wrong and misleading. Employee safety is a shared priority and we have made progress working together but safety is more than just a poster on the wall – it often means making tough and unpopular decisions like we’ve had to do on Hanwell Road.

Geneviève Latour
Communications Manager
Canada Post