Muhammad Irfan 
The True Post (Web News) The nationwide strike at Canada Post has been going on for two weeks, and during this time, the small business community across the country has called for immediate reforms in the postal service.
According to a recent survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 87 per cent of small business owners want changes to Canada Post’s system to make it modern and efficient. “Canada needs a national postal service, but it doesn’t have one in its current state,” said CFIB Vice-President **Corinne Pohlmann in a statement. “We are pleased that the federal government is taking steps to modernize Canada Post’s services.” She added that “Canada Post is losing customers and millions of dollars every day. If nothing is done, this institution will slowly disappear.”
According to the survey, 52 per cent of businesses want to reduce mail delivery in residential areas. 51 per cent said that a system of community mailboxes should be adopted instead of door-to-door mail delivery. 45 per cent believe that employee salaries and benefits should be limited or frozen for a few years. 42 per cent said it would be better to replace corporate postal offices with franchised locations.
CFIB warns
Nearly 13 per cent of small businesses have stopped using Canada Post altogether after the last strike, costing the union more than $1 billion. According to the organization, two-thirds of businesses would completely abandon Canada Post if another strike occurred.
Meanwhile, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) on Wednesday accused the government of political interference in the negotiation process, which “undermines the principles of fair bargaining.” Union President Jan Simpson** said in a statement that repeated political interference during the negotiations “has affected, delayed and rendered ineffective the process.”
That same day, CUPW representatives met with Government Reform Minister Joël Lightbound, who oversees Canada Post. However, within hours of the meeting, workers announced they would return to the picket lines. The union says the government’s proposed changes — which include **ending door-to-door mail service, closing some post offices** and other administrative reforms — will **lead to the layoffs of thousands of employees** and the “death” of the service.
