CUPW workers in strike position as of Saturday
Labour negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) continue. Talks have been ongoing since late 2015, and the parties are now in the final stretch.
While there is still time to reach new agreements, a legal work disruption could occur as early as July 2, 2016, said Canada Post.
“We understand the impact a work disruption would have on customers and are therefore doing everything possible to reach a negotiated settlement quickly. While a labour disruption remains a possibility, we are asking customers to take precautions.”
In the event of a labour disruption, Canada Post said it will not operate. Mail and parcels will not be delivered, and no new items will be accepted. Any mail and parcels within the postal system during a work disruption will be secured and delivered as quickly as possible once operations resume.
Canada Post rejected a letter from postal workers asking for an extension to the the July 2 deadline for a lockout by a period of two weeks, said CUPW.
“We only got their first real ‘offer’ last Saturday and it still contained a raft of cuts to our working standards that they know we could never accept,” said Mike Palecek, national president of CUPW.
“Canada Post managers started this countdown to a labour dispute by filing for conciliation shockingly early on in the negotiations process,” said Palecek.
“They don’t really want to give us a chance to settle a deal. They want us out and they want the public to blame the postal workers for management’s decisions.”
A letter from one of Canada Post’s HR executives said that agreeing to the union’s request to extend talks would only delay matters and produce further “uncertainty” for its customers, said CUPW.
On June 25, 2016, Canada Post tabled offers for the separate negotiations under way with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW-Urban and CUPW-RSMC), which represent its delivery and plant employees.“Our offers are designed to help reach agreements and avoid a work disruption. They would allow greater flexibility to better serve customers while protecting the things that are most important to employees,” said Canada Post.
