The POSTAL STRIKE: What you need to know: Negotiations between Canada Post and the union representing some 55,000 postal workers continue as the postal strike continues on its fourth day.
The postal workers, represented by the Canadian Union for Postal Workers (CUPW), went on a national strike Friday, Nov. 15.
The two sides continue to meet at the bargaining table, as of Monday, and the federal minister of labour has appointed Peter Simpson as a special mediator to work toward a resolution.
“Canada Post supports the appointment of a special mediator by the minister of labour as efforts continue to achieve negotiated agreements with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers,” Canada Post said in an update on Monday, Nov. 18.
“We remain committed to reaching new agreements at the bargaining table, and not through arbitration.”
The CUPW on Monday said it will work with mediators to reach negotiated collective agreements.
“CUPW is fighting for fair wages, safer working conditions and the right to retire with dignity,” the union said. “CUPW is fighting against rollbacks, such as the gutting of our pensions and health benefits, which will hurt current and future generations of postal workers.”
CUPW added it wants to see a real commitment to expanding services to strengthen the public post office and to negotiate a collective agreement. “The best collective agreements are those negotiated at the bargaining table.”
Canada Post says it has lost more than $3 billion since 2018 and those losses continue to mount.
Even with that, Canada Post has continued to put forward offers that protect and enhance what’s important to our current employees. We’ve offered competitive wage increases (11.5 percent over four years) and additional paid leave while protecting the defined benefit pension and job security provisions,” Canada Post said.
“To help secure the future of the company and grow our parcel business, Canada Post has put forward proposals to offer seven-day-a-week parcel delivery, more competitive pricing and other important improvements. This new delivery model is essential for the future of the company, and critical to our ability to afford the offers.”
Canada Post says mail and parcels are not being processed or delivered for the duration of the national strike, and some post offices are closed. It adds that service guarantees have been impacted for items already in the postal network and that no new items are being accepted until the national disruption is over.
Furthermore, all mail and parcels in the postal network have been secured and will be delivered on a first-in, first-out basis once operations resume.
Canadians should also be prepared for service impacts well after the strike ends.
Photo: Espanola Postal Workers and supporters walking the picket line. The strike is now in its fourth day. Photo by Rosalind M Russell
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