Canada Post and Transcontinental have agreed to resume delivery on February 27, much to the chagrin of the postal workers’ union.

• Also read – Publisac: Suspended distribution by Canada Post in Montreal

• Also read – Montreal raises the tone against Canada Post

• Also read – The “new” Publisac angers the postal workers

“Despite a significant weight reduction of the Publisac, several health and safety issues remain and much work will be required to deliver this product in compliance with our health and safety standards,” confirms the Community of Labor and Postal Workers (CUPW) of the municipality Montreal in a statement to its members.

Rather than targeting implementation at two facilities, as it did last October, Canada Post is now targeting initial deployment at nine facilities, namely Ahuntsic, Montreal North, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Saint-Léonard, Saint-Michel, Snowdon, Pierrefonds, Pointe-Claire-Dorval and Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

Canada Post notified its union of this new agreement on February 16, which limits Publisac shipments to once a week. The dimensions of the inserts remain unchanged (11″ x 12″), but the weight of the mailing, which was originally up to 300 grams, is limited to 56 grams.

“Unreasonable”

CUPW denounces the short seven-day period Canada Post gives mail carriers to prepare. “During the first phase of the project there was a sharp increase in accidents at work. People have modified the delivery tools and there have been related accidents for the simple reason that other tools used by the employer were not available due to the unreasonable delay. We are in a similar situation right now,” union president Alain Robitaille tells his members in a video.

Last December, Canada Post decided to temporarily stop distributing the Publisac a few months after receiving distribution. Workers had raised concerns about the health and safety of postal workers who must deliver to every door in Montreal.

The distribution of the Publisac has sowed discord since the City of Montreal passed an “opt-in” statute last April, addressing only that request that she will continue to receive the Publisac.

To circumvent this decision, TC Transcontinental then turned to Canada Post to ensure continued delivery, turning its nose up at the city. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante was unaware of the Publisac’s return next Monday. She heard the news this morning.