Calling All Locals: Volunteer For The Next Stage Of The Paperless Grievance Pilot Project

The Service Expansion and Innovation and Change (Appendix “T”) Committee is calling on locals to volunteer for the next stage of the paperless grievance pilot project, scheduled to run from January-December 2022.

Following the expiration of the collective agreement in 2015-16, the Appendix “T” Committee and Canada Post agreed to review the administrative practices between the parties with a view to reducing the use of paper. To do so, the parties developed an electronic grievance submission process and identified three locals to conduct joint pilots on the electronic submission of grievance forms and responses. During the 6-month pilot, Locals 620 (Thunder Bay), 856 (Winnipeg) and 850 (Victoria) took part in the project in 2017 and 2018.

Participating locals reported that shifting to electronic grievances increased the efficiency of processing grievances, making for a more user-friendly process.

Each of the participating locals continued to use the electronic grievance form and process beyond the 6-month evaluation period agreed to in the pilot. 

CUPW’s National Constitution Policy F-6 mandates the union to “work to reduce duplication of papers, travel and carbon footprints.” The paperless grievance pilot project was a positive step towards meeting these goals.

An analysis of the pilot showed that the electronic grievance process helped the union to reduce its use of paper and its carbon footprint. Since the beginning of the trial period, the Appendix “T” Committee estimates that the three locals have saved approximately 11,545 sheets of paper and lowered their greenhouse gas emissions by 92.59 kg C0₂ equivalent.

The next phase of the pilot aims to bring volunteer locals from Canada and Quebec into the electronic grievance submission process, with a view to deploying a paperless grievance option across the network, with the understanding that locals may choose to continue submitting grievances by paper.

Interested locals are asked to reach out to the Appendix “T” Committee by emailing: AppendixT@cupw-sttp.org. Please make sure to include in your message the contact information of your local executive committee.

The deadline to apply is October 31, 2021. Locals selected for the pilot project will be advised by the Union and an information session will be held before the pilot.