A targeted “hit” on a Vancouver Letter Carrier has been overturned at arbitration. On February 19, 2010, Aaron Spires, Letter Carrier and CUPW Shop Steward, was discharged by Canada Post on the basis of allegations that he had fraudulently claimed one 
hour of overtime and several hours of sick leave to which he was not entitled. Those incidents allegedly took place on February 9 & 11, 2010. According to former Sea-to-Sky Manager Steven Sapinsky (son-in-law of former Canada Post manager Al Miller), Spires had displayed a “pattern” of claiming payment to which he was not entitled.
In his February 19, 2010 letter of discharge, Sapinsky claimed that Spires had not been targeted. In reality, Sapinsky had placed Spires’ name on a “hit list” shortly after Spires was assigned to the Capilano Delivery Center (CDC) in late December of 2009. Spires’ name was placed on the hit list because he had incurred overtime on several occasions while covering two of CDC’s least desirable routes. Sapinsky’s hit list was circulated amongst supervisory staff at the CDC and Spires immediately became a “person of interest”. Despite a discipline-free work history, Spires was discharged six weeks after being targeted.
Sister Sandra Nichols, a PO5 on #2 shift at the VMPP, has died from a head injury that she sustained from a fall at work on July 4th. She had been operating a stacker during the afternoon dispatch on the 4th floor by elevator 7/8 when she fell off the stacker and hit her head on the concrete floor, critically injuring herself. Sandra has been a postal worker since 1985, carving out a niche for herself at the VMPP. She had a good sense of humor and laughed easily, loved working a crossword puzzle and was a prolific reader. Her son Patrick Nichols works as a letter carrier in the Vancouver Local and has been very supportive to Sandra’s co-workers in their grief and during the weeks that Sandra was in intensive care. This is a tragedy that won’t be forgotten. Sandra’s co-workers, and all of her brothers and sisters will take time to reflect on this sad event and on her untimely passing.
executive officers of Crown Corporations such as Canada Post’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Deepak Chopra. The entitlement to extra pay will be determined by the “successful achievement of objectives”, corporate-speak that translates into bottom line results.