The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has voted with an overwhelming majority of 94.5% infavour of striking if necessary should no new collective agreement be reached with Canada Post by
the end of May.Denis Lemelin, CUPW National President and Chief Negotiator, said: “We hope the sky-high strikevote and the record turnout of our members will put pressure on Canada Post to negotiate.” Theunion added that membership participation in the secret ballot vote was the highest in its historyproviding the CUPW with the mandate to take strike action.
Meanwhile, the negotiations continue with the help of a government-appointed conciliator afterthe CUPW filed for conciliation with the Government of Canada in January. If an agreement is notreached, CUPW gains the right to strike on May 24 at midnight.
“Canada Post has been very focused on its demands, not ours. The corporation wants to pay newemployees 30% less. It wants to reduce their benefits, weaken their job security and provide aninferior pension. It also wants to attack retiree benefits, sick leave and turn back the clock onmany other contract provisions,” Lemelin claimed.
He added that Canada Post is about to announce its 16th consecutive year of profits and plans tomake huge productivity gains through modernisation. “Postal workers are saying they deserve a shareof the benefits,” the CUPW leader explained.
“A 94.5% strike vote sends a clear message to Canada Post. CUPW members want a collectiveagreement that recognises our work is behind the increases in profits and productivity. They wantmanagement to share, instead of attacking our wages, rights and working conditions,” Lemelinconcluded.
In response to the strike threat, Canada Post said: “As expected, the union has received astrong strike mandate just as it has in past rounds of collective bargaining. A strike vote is partof the collective bargaining process and is employed during most rounds of labour negotiations.However, it doesn’t mean that there will be a work stoppage at Canada Post. The union has heldstrike votes during past rounds of collective bargaining without a work stoppage occurring.”
“It is business as usual across our network and the mail is being delivered nationwide. We donot anticipate any disruption to mail service at this time. The earliest date that CUPW could go onstrike is May 25,” the postal operator added.
Canada Post said it remains optimistic that an agreement can be reached just as it has in eachround of collective bargaining with CUPW since 1997. “We are confident that we will reach anegotiated settlement because we are offering employees annual wage increases, a secure pension andcontinued job security. Under the new collective agreement that has been proposed, members of CUPWwill continue to enjoy some of the best wages and benefits in Canada.”
“We are proposing a new sick leave programme and different terms and conditions for newemployees. These changes are needed to keep Canada Post financially viable and secure the future ofthe postal system in this country. Competition and electronic substitutions of traditional mail aregrowing and putting a strain on our business,” Canada Post said.
