In recent years, the postal and delivery industry has seen huge changes. The parcel business is ever-growing and becoming an important part of our work. For-profit corporate giants like Amazon are now building their own delivery networks, using non-unionized “gig” workers to keep their costs as low as possible.
These changes in the postal market are driving changes in our workplace. According to Canada Post, to grow its parcels business, the Corporation needs to make big investments to modernize its facilities and equipment.
This is why it has opened the new Albert Jackson Processing Centre and has started testing new technologies like Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), Robotic Parcel Arms, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and even Follow-Me Robots for letter carriers.
For postal workers, these new technologies are a clear threat. While technology could be utilized to make the work easier or more ergonomic, it is mainly used to eliminate workers and jobs and increase the employer’s control of the workplace.