Canada - Postal union blasts security, Magnotta gag order

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OTTAWA - It may be time to consider scanners or other ramped-up security measures to help protect postal workers, their union says.
This after severed body parts arrived at the Ottawa sorting plant last week.

Ian Anderson, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers local in Ottawa, said the bizarre events of May 29 that saw a severed foot delivered to Conservative Party headquarters and a packaged human hand intercepted at the sorting plant, highlight the dangerous fact that workers have no idea what they're handling.

Union officials say it's another concern on top of mounting frustration about the secrecy of the ongoing investigation into the body-parts case and the subsequent gag order of postal workers.

Both Anderson and the national CUPW report local posties have been threatened with their jobs if they speak publicly about the case, a move described as "disgraceful" and "ridiculous."

"I thought there was free speech in this country," Anderson said.

Union officials are also frustrated workers have been kept in the dark about what Canada Post is doing or plans to do in the wake of the case, although some reports have suggested posties simply don protective gear to handle packages.

CUPW is "really upset" about the lack of followup with Canada Post officials, but union leaders hope to have a sit-down meeting with management this week.

"The union wants to look at how this was handled," a national CUPW spokeswoman said. "I'm sure there will be changes out of this."

On May 30, QMI Agency was at the sorting plant when a postal worker speaking to reporters was literally dragged away by a Canada Post supervisor.

The entire chain of events has created concern among postal workers.

It may be time to consider scanners, Anderson said, although the sheer volume of mail could make that challenging.

There is no X-ray or similar precaution taken to handle mail.

The woman who delivered the severed foot had no idea she was the carrier until a day later.

However, it's not unusual for police to alert Canada Post for suspicious packages, similar to the steps taken to confine the second parcel to the postal plant.
Canada Post declined to comment on Monday.