Canadian postal union CUPW may strike next week if no agreement is reached

Canadian postal union CUPW has rejected a new offer by Canada Post as part of the ongoing labournegotiations and is prepared to strike next week if no agreement has been reached by the stipulated

The union said the new offer contains several major rollbacks and meets very few of its demands.CUPW does not consider it as the basis for a negotiated settlement. “However we are determined tocontinue the negotiations and obtain a collective agreement that provides for Respect, Equality anda Share of the Benefits of New Technology,” it said. 

The CUPW pointed out that Canada Post is keeping its demand to eliminate paid sick leave andreplace it with a Short Term Disability Plan. Moreover, the union criticised that the postaloperator has not addressed its demand for using one bundle delivery method for points of call otherthan stop and go and centralised points of delivery.

Other features of the agreement that CUPW considers as unsatisfactory concern wages, benefitsand pension for employees, retire benefits, job security, health and safety, and variousothers.

The union stressed, however, that it will continue to deliver cheques to pensioners and socialassistance recipients even in the event of a national strike or lockout. The Canadian Union ofPostal Workers offered to deliver pension and social assistance cheques early on in theirnegotiations with Canada Post with the details now having been finalised.

“We are pleased that we were able to make this agreement with Canada Post to deliver pension andsocial assistance cheques,” said Denis Lemelin, national president and chief negotiator of CUPW ata press conference in Ottawa. “The agreement shows that we can negotiate solutions and we willcontinue to try to negotiate solutions.”

Despite this agreement, the two sides remain far apart on many issues. The union claimed thatCanada Post is trying to impose a new and inferior sick leave plan on all employees while demandingnew hires take a wage cut. “We have one signed agreement, we are aiming for another, a decentcollective agreement that will preserve good postal service and jobs,” Lemelin added.

In case of a strike or lockout due to failed negotiations, both parties will have to providenotice of their intention 72 hours in advance. If the strike takes place, about 48,000 mailcarriers and inside postal workers would be off the job on May 25 with mail boxes remaining emptyon that day.