Confusion in Hamilton over end to Canada Post home delivery

Postal workers' union says switch to community mailboxes in Hamilton will be delayed. But Canada Post says phase-out of home delivery is going ahead as planned.

Thestar.com
June 3, 2015
By Jillian Kestler-D’Amours

Canada Post says the switch to community mailboxes in Hamilton is going ahead as planned, despite a recent claim by the postal workers’ union that the plan to end door-to-door delivery in Hamilton is on “indefinite hold.”

Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton told the Star Wednesday that “there’s been no change in direction in Hamilton,” and that the installation of community mailboxes has gone uninterrupted since it began in April.

“We continued to install boxes today, and conversion will happen this summer,” Hamilton said.

He added that Canada Post will send out keys to customers to test out the new mailboxes once they are installed. “Keys will be going out relatively soon and the move to boxes will occur.”

But the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) says Canada Post told members of its local union in Hamilton that the new system will be delayed indefinitely beyond the expected implementation date of June 15.

“They seem to be saying one thing to their employees, and another thing to the public. We would like some straight answers out of Canada Post,” CUPW National President Mike Palecek told the Star.

“When is this going to be implemented? Are they going to proceed with the cuts (to home delivery) on June 15? If not, when are they planning to do this?

“Citizens of Hamilton deserve some clear answers about this, and better communication about the services that they rely on.”