Support Postal Banking - Download and Sign the Petition
Canada needs a postal bank. Thousands of rural towns and villages in our country do not have a bank, but many of them have a post office that could provide financial services. As well, nearly two million Canadians desperately need an alternative to payday lenders. A postal bank could be that alternative. Download and sign the petition urging the Government of Canada to instruct Canada Post to add postal banking, with a mandate for financial inclusion.
As noted in our April 6, 2020 bulletin (Bulletin #110), three categories of permanent postal workers will finally get access to quarantine leave. At the start of the COVID-19 crisis, it took time to figure out all the different risks that people may have relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canada Post takes its cue from the Federal Government to extend leave provisions for workers beyond the April 10, 2020 deadline. Responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Canada Post is directing supervisors to approve paid Special Leave for postal workers needing to be home with children because of school and child care closures. This also applies to members who have to step in to provide care for elderly parents.
OTTAWA - The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is concerned that a new distribution deal may be rewarding Amazon Canada for creating stressful, precarious jobs; ignoring workers’ demands for health and safety; and interfering with their right to unionize.
On April 6, we’ve confirmed a change in Canada Post Corporation’s (CPC) practice for:
Workers over 70,
Pregnant workers, and
Immune-suppressed/High-risk workers.
Minister Morneau, I am writing on behalf of over 50,000 postal workers, including Foodora couriers, whom we’ve filed an application to represent, and in support of the thousands of gig-economy delivery workers who have been deemed essential during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We call on the Federal Government to extend the Canada Emergency Response Benefit Act (CERB) to all workers who have seen a reduction or elimination or work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
These are challenging and stressful times for CUPW members. The loss of normalcy; the loss of connection; the invisible, unknown health risks, and not knowing what tomorrow will bring are all testing us. The whole world is feeling worried – including me.
As we’ve been saying since this crisis began, collective action is the key, more than ever, to getting through this together, in the best possible state of health and safety. Pressure from local union representatives and members makes a difference and we’re seeing the results.
Since the first COVID-19 case was identified in Canada on January 27, 2020, postal workers, along with your local, regional, and national union representatives, have been demanding health and safety measures be properly implemented.
All the while that we have been responding to the COVID-19 crisis, we were preparing for the possibility of postal workers being infected. Indeed, last week in St. John’s, NL, we had confirmed cases of COVID-19.
While the local and regional representatives were responding, the national office kept close watch on Canada Post Corporation management to ensure that our members were properly protected.