Postmen could trigger strike as early as Friday

Canada Post union members have filed a “72-hour strike notice” and could trigger a work stoppage on Friday “if no negotiated agreement has been reached by then,” CUPW warned Tuesday.

The executive council of the Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) claims not to have still decided if a strike will be called immediately.

The council’s decision will depend on Canada Post’s actions at the negotiating table over the coming days.

The STTP represents 55,000 members nationwide, including urban, rural and suburban mail carriers. Its members supported the strike mandate by more than 95%.

This strike notice comes almost a year after the start of negotiations between the parties. The union claims to still be very far from agreement on many issues.

The Postal Workers’ Union has been in a legal position to strike since November 3, but it had to give 72 hours’ notice beforehand. This step was reached on Tuesday.

He pledged to maintain essential services in the event of a strike, including pension and welfare checks, as well as live animals.

Canada Posts adjust its operations in case of strike

Canada Post says that, for the moment, its activities are continuing normally.

In a press release published at midday on Tuesday, the state-owned company added that unless an agreement is reached, current collective agreements will cease to apply as of Friday. The Company will then be entitled to use the means provided for in the Canada Labor Code and to adjust its operations to its operational realities and its commercial needs.

Canada Post also says that businesses are increasingly entrusting the delivery of their packages to other companies to protect themselves against the uncertainty brought by this threat of strike.

Last week, parcel volumes decreased by 28% compared to the same week last year, says Canada Post. For the latter, this represents 1.3 million parcels – the equivalent of more than a day’s worth of parcels delivered during this time of year – which is lost to the competition.

It’s huge for the postmen’s knees

Last Tuesday, the union submitted a counter-proposal to Canada Post, after deeming its last offer of October 29 insufficient. This affected salary increases, the retirement plan, the expansion of services offered by Canada Post and issues of health and safety at work.

The union is demanding an overall 22% increase over four years.

According to the union, Canada Post’s latest offer provided for an increase of 11.97% over four years. He denounces several setbacks demanded by the employer regarding social benefits and leave, as well as the establishment of a two-tier pension plan.

For Patrick Bleau, president of the local section of the union in Sherbrooke, Canada Post is leading a full-blown attack on future employeesfor example by trying to cut the pension fund and vacations.

As for current employees, Canada Post is trying to impose on them a new way of working which would force postmen to spend eight hours outside, rather than the six hours currently required, explains Mr. Bleau.

We would go from 22 km per day walking to 30 km on average, which is enormous for the postmen’s knees.

The postmen also wish regain purchasing power that they have lost in recent years, says Mr. Bleau.

Ottawa hopes for a negotiated settlement

Canada Post is warning of the consequences that a strike would have for customers as the holiday season approaches.

On Tuesday, Canadian Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon acknowledged that as consumers do their holiday shopping, the stakes in negotiations with Canada Post are high.

In Ottawa, where he gave a press conference on the ongoing labor dispute at the ports of Montreal and Vancouver, Minister MacKinnon said he hoped for a negotiated agreement in the case of Canada Post.

I know the parties are negotiating today [mardi]and we will make every effort to keep them at the table and continue talking.

Mr. MacKinnon assured that all tools available to the federal government to support the negotiation process have been deployed.

In 2018, Ottawa passed special legislation to put an end to the rotating strikes that had been initiated by Canada Post union members. This time, we hope to reach a negotiated agreementreiterated the minister.

The situation at Canada Post is not viable, says the C. A.

At the end of August, the chairman of the board of directors of Canada Post stated that the financial situation of the state corporation was not viable.

Board of Directors and senior management recognize that Canada Post is at a crucial turning pointdeclared André Hudon.

The Crown corporation announced that it lost $490 million during the first half of 2024. It intends to negotiate with its workers a more flexible and affordable mail delivery model.

With information from Brigitte Marcoux

With information from CBC and The Canadian Press