'Save Canada Post' campaign begins in St. John's

Canada Post unionizedworkers have begun a cross-country campaign to save home mail delivery and voteStephen Harper out ofoffice.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers kicked off a three-month campaign Wednesday in St. John's,

"We're asking people to vote for home mail delivery. Which means vote against Stephen Harper," saidMike Palecek, CUPE national president.

"We're livid. And it's not just about the job cuts. This is a service that Canadians rely on."

Palecek and rotating crews will drive an R.V. across the country, gearing up to the federal election this fall.

St. John's to lose 56 jobs

Canada Post announced plans to scrap door-to-door mail service in urban areas, instead installing community mailboxes. Up to 8,000 mail carriers will lose their jobs, including 56 in St. John's.

"There's no need," said Craif Dyer,local union president. "We provide a fantastic service ... Now Canada Post wants the customer to go do our business that we've done historically for several years."

Dyer delivers mail on a route in Mount Pearl, including many parcels to several small businesses.

He said that small businesses will now have to pay people to collect their mail, which couldcost them 40 hours per week.

Canada Post said the move is a reaction to declining mail volume. It delivered 1.4 billion fewer pieces of mail in 2014 than in 2006.

However, Palececk argues that Canada Post is still profitable it made a pre-tax profit of $24 million for the first quarter of 2015.

"We keep hearing the same chicken little story from Deepak Chopra [Canada Post's C.E.O.] and Stephen Harper, saying that the stars are going to fall and the sun won't shine unless we hack and slash public service," said Palecek.

"But the truth is Canada Post is currently making a profit and there is no economic justification for what they're doing."

Palecek said the union is fighting government cuts to all public services, not just Canada Post.