News   Dec 20, 2024
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Canada Post strike - would you care?

One can be unemployed (or even self-employed) and still have concerns about their mail. Even those of us who are unemployed and not on social assistance. In fact, last week I had two packages arrive which had little to do with money or my unemployment
 
Nothing more than the union flexing its muscles and reminding the membership who's in charge.

Unfortunate for postal workers, their revelance will be even more dimished as more consumers buy-in to the concept of www.epost.com and online bills.

p.s. Unions are no better than their 'evil' corporation counterpart. An organization that forces employees to pay into it's fund seems fairly undemocratic. Let's not forget the amount of wealth these funds create for the union body. I.E. enough to be equity partners is the auto industry.
 
I rely on Canada post for my game rental service. They were horrendously slow even before the strike. Now, I will be begging pretty please to the rental company to let me out of my contract. It was taking 3-10 business days ONE way to get a parcel from Toronto from Montreal. That is a huge inconsistent window. Also around christmas time, a one way trip was on average 12-14 business days and this was with a planned holiday shut down. Not a bit of exaggeration either.

My wife has been waiting on a job opening in a certain hospital for literally 2.5 years. There is finally an opening.The thing is, she needed to get a series of background checks done. She got them all done last week and the police said the results would be mailed out in 5-10 days and now this stupid lockout strike is buggering up the whole works.:mad: I wish the other courier services were a bit more competitive with their pricing. I would totally ditch CP if that were to occur.
 
It's the parcel delivery that will impact retailers and customers.
And they are losing ground because of 5 day/week service vs what the couriers are offering.

In very small markets, banks have been closing branches for years. It seems the PO is finally dipping their toes into some financial services as was recommended a number of times, but very small markets would benefit from teller-like counter services.
 
In very small markets, banks have been closing branches for years. It seems the PO is finally dipping their toes into some financial services as was recommended a number of times, but very small markets would benefit from teller-like counter services.

I'm curious, what are those services? I think I recall some post offices could do wire transfers, but what else are they doing there specifically?

It would surprise me as retail banking services is a heavily regulated market to enter, and it requires specific expertise and training for the staff. The guy who offloads parcels off the truck can't simply swap in to be a bank teller.

That kind of banking is also a money loser too in a low interest rate environment, unless you circumvent that problem by charging high fees, which I would think the whole point is they wouldn't.
 
I'm curious, what are those services? I think I recall some post offices could do wire transfers, but what else are they doing there specifically?

It would surprise me as retail banking services is a heavily regulated market to enter, and it requires specific expertise and training for the staff. The guy who offloads parcels off the truck can't simply swap in to be a bank teller.

That kind of banking is also a money loser too in a low interest rate environment, unless you circumvent that problem by charging high fees, which I would think the whole point is they wouldn't.
This is what they are embarking on:


It obviously wouldn't involve carriers but be linked to counter/teller services. I don't know all the pros and cons, just as an observer of the gaps left by the big banks closing their small branches. There is a range of opinions. This is one. I don't agree with all of it. Of course, the Bankers' Association is against any of it.


A number of years ago, a bank closed the only branch in a small community I used to live near. It is 75 km to the next community. Among other things, local residents and businesses could no longer do cash deposits or get money for floats. The usual statement from that bank said most of the customers use online banking. Trouble is, the town had, at the time, only had dial-up. They didn't even bother installing an ATM (probably because it wouldn't work on dial-up).

I don't go to a physical bank that often anymore but, when I do go, the clientele is mostly all seniors (which makes the parking lot particularly 'interesting'). Many can't navigate online sites or don't trust them.

Several countries offer some form of postal banking services. I think it's a viable niche.
 

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