Editorial: Through snow or sleet or gloom ... Post Office lets us all down
Everyone deserves their mail delivery.
Those are two statements that are basically inarguable, except when one affects the other. Since prior to Christmas, some Drumheller residents who receive their postal mail at community mailboxes have had little or no postal mail service.
Sadly, this also includes weekly delivery of both Drumheller print publications, The Drumheller Mail, and inSide Drumheller, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
Postal mail delivery is still sacred to many residents, and as such this makes for a serious situation. The contract worker(s) for these postal codes have apparently been on a holiday since delivery stopped the week prior to Christmas.
When this happens, or there is sickness, or an emergency, etc., involved, replacement workers are brought in to take over delivery on these routes. Unfortunately, these replacement workers may not be familiar with Drumheller, have no idea of street names, addresses etc., and often leave a lot of postal mail un-delivered. While not trying to make light of a serious situation, some readers may remember the Seinfeld comedy series where one of the characters known as “Newman”, worked for the U.S. postal system. He went in to a rant during one scene where he stated “the mail just keeps coming and coming, more and more, and then it’s time for Publishers Clearing House…”
Such is the case here, and as this office has witnessed many times in the past, the un-delivered mail just keeps piling up day after day, and no one seems to care.
According to what we have experienced, and believe us, this situation is not unique to someone who depends on timely, accurate and reliable postal delivery for our products, generally a feeling of anxiety sets in that we are generally powerless to remedy. When this situation arose, complaints to local post office personnel were generally met with sympathy, accompanied by a sticky note with a 1-800 number written on it. When post office customers called the number, there were excuses offered to the caller, but no satisfaction. Small comfort. Increased frustration.
Contract workers such as the holidayers are supposed to search for their own replacement workers, and if they are unavailable Canada Post replacement workers can be brought in to make the deliveries. While this may or may not have happened, and we are not privy to these contracts, clearly the system failed 0Y3, 0Y4 and 0Y5 residents. If competent workers cannot or will not deliver the mail to affected residents, the local post office HAS to be responsible enough to bundle residents' mail with a simple elastic band, and have it available for pickup at the downtown post office location.
What essentially happens here is Canada Post’s credibility takes a severe blow. But again, sadly, no one takes responsibility for this fiasco, and there is obviously no workable alternate plan in place. What Canada Post provides is not working and they are allowed to get away with it.
Meanwhile, and you can bet the farm on this one, everyone, and we mean everyone at Canada Post still receives their regular compensation, mail delivered or not. That is the way the world works.
Sometime ago we received a news release from the Postal Workers Union that stated Canada Post will be installing $2 billion in new handling equipment throughout the system. Unfortunately this means nothing to people waiting for government cheques, Christmas cards from family and friends, or bills that have to be paid.
We, at The Drumheller Mail and inSide Drumheller office, take delivery of our products very seriously. Our system depends on the efficiency of the postal system, carriers, handlers, drivers etc. For the most part we are happy with the system and work well with Canada Post in general to comply with delivery regulations and procedures so readers can enjoy uninterrupted service for their news and information. As well, online delivery through drumhellermail.com provides a leading website that has attracted thousands for constant updates and breaking news that will precede paper editions.
When delivery interruption occurs, please call our office at 403-823-2580. We will make paper copies available to you for pickup at our office, and even make a special effort to make home delivery possible, given employee availability.
We don’t go on holidays. We have been doing it for over 100 years and are darn proud of our record of delivery. Our news and information is no good unless you are reading it.
Like now.
O.R.S.
