The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which is already considering strike action, is preparing for crucial negotiations with Canada Post this Sunday. At the same time, the union is extending its national overtime work ban. As of earlier this week, the union members had served a 72-hour strike notice. This threat could face workers who walk off the job starting Friday morning. The direct negotiations on wages and other essential demands are in process now. According to CUPW, the employers’ latest offers still “fall short.”
Late last week, CUPW issued the following bulletin to its members. In it, they outlined their worries with respect to the terms that Canada Post had put on the table. Union leaders expressed their disappointment with the most recent agreement. They cite the lack of appropriate wage increases and unaddressed matters that have sat for months. As frustrations build between the two sides, an independent mediator will be at the next meeting table. Their intention is to encourage dialogue and communication in order to break the impasse.
This negotiation is uniquely significant because the last collective agreement between CUPW and Canada Post expired just last Thursday. That timing only serves to add urgency to those discussions. The industrial relations board, after intervention from Ottawa, prolonged this agreement. This decision was made during a month-long strike that is included in our last holiday season. The possible expiration of this agreement has increased fears of a short strike or work disruption should a new agreement not be reached in time.
Furthermore, Canada Post is in the middle of a major shift in operations, most notably with plans to eventually end door-to-door delivery altogether. A new “dynamic routing” system will adjust mail carriers’ routes each day. This amendment would actually only serve to further muddy the waters. This relocation is an element of wider initiatives to modernize operations in the face of evolving consumer behaviors and expectations.
Sunday’s meeting would be the first of many talks planned for the tense weekend, as per a spokesperson for Canada Post. The stakes are indeed high, and both sides know it. They understand that a breakdown in negotiations would raise their liability for further inflaming protests and blocking mail delivery.
