Canada Post Labour Talks Appear Stalled Due To Strike Deadline

After months of contract talks, the union representing 50,000 postal workers looks set to serve its 72-hour strike notice on Thursday, as its strike mandate is expected to expire at the end of the day.

The postal agency’s biggest union had until midnight Thursday to serve the Crown corporation with a 72-hour strike notice. The union is accusing Canada Post of continuing to make unacceptable demands.

The additional urgency of the strike mandate deadline saw federal Labor Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk straightforwardly intervene in the negotiations by sitting at the table after the bargaining groups held days of intensive talks.

CUPW national president Mike Palecek planned a news gathering for Thursday to give an overhaul to the union’s point of view on the arrangements. Be that as it may, the union’s bargaining group told members that, unless Canada Post moved in an opposite direction from its proposals, it would serve notice of a looming work interruption.

Should the union draw the fitting on bargaining, there could be disturbances to mail delivery by Monday, in spite of the fact that it wasn’t clear Wednesday what move would be made. Once the strike mandate expires, Canada Post representatives would likely need to vote again on an extension.

That vote could take about two months to finish, setting the course of events for a potential delivery disruption toward the start of the busy Christmas mailing season. After Thursday, the Crown company additionally has the alternative to lock out workers.

“After 9 months of negotiations, including 60 days of conciliation followed by more than 70 days with the help of mediators, both sides remain far apart,” said Canada Post spokesman Jon Hamilton.

“The union continues to press for more than $1 billion in demands with no appreciation for the current and troubling future state of the postal service caused by declining mail volumes and increasing pension obligations.

“Canada Post remains committed to negotiating agreements that are fair to our employees, and allow us to continue to provide affordable pricing and service to Canadians.”

Key issues have included the company’s push to switch all new hires to a defined contribution pension plan and the ability to close nearly 500 union-staffed retail locations. The union has also called for equalizing pay among rural carriers, who are mostly women, with urban carriers.

The union claims rural postal workers earn, on average, nearly 30 percent less than city carriers.

Other issues include “precarious part-time and temporary employment, no improvements in staffing, the ability to close all 493 protected CUPW staffed retail locations eliminating up to 1,200 full-time jobs,” the union said.

“Canada Post’s proposal on pay equity (for rural carriers) was nothing more than an attempt to complicate and delay that process,” the union told its members in a statement.

“Canada Post wants to drag out pay equity with binding arbitration, a process that could take years or even decades.”