Postal Protest

About 150 people were at the Oakhill Fire Hall last night at a meeting hosted by the Municipality of Lunenburg to discuss Canada Post's rural mailbox review. Mayor Don Downe says it's a federal issue but Council is advocating on behalf of its residents. Downe says it was delinquent of Canada Post not to attend last night's meeting to hear the residents concerns. Union representatives were in attendance at last nights meeting along with M-P Gerald Keddy and M-L-A's Pam Birdsall, Gary Ramey and Vicki Conrad.

Postal Plot

Union officials representing rural mail drivers in Nova Scotia say it's a plot to downgrade service. But according to the Press Secretary for the minister responsible for Canada Post, it's a health and safety issue because the drivers are now unionized employees. Chris Hilton says the review started when the mail drivers stopped being contract employees. Hilton says this is about Occupational Health and Safety. The assessment of mailbox safety has been ongoing in Lunenburg county for the past several weeks.

Postal Pre-emptive

Rural home mail delivery in Lunenburg County could be a thing of the past if Union's fears are realized. Canada Post is assessing its delivery service as a result of safety concerns expressed by rural mail drivers. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is alleging it's a move to save millions of dollars by eliminating home delivery and setting up community mailboxes. Toni Mckafee, the Education and Organizational Officers for CUP-W Atlantic Region says customers will likely be contacted in Lunenburg County in the next few weeks and customers have to voice their concerns and demand to keep their roadside mailbox. The Union has sent flyers to rural customers advising them of actions they can take to protect their rural mail delivery.