CANADA—On Wednesday of last week, Canada Post met with the Canadian Union of Public Workers (CUPW) and resumed discussions with the assistance of federal mediators.
At this meeting, the Corporation received CUPW’s response to its best and final offers that were presented on May 28.
“The company is currently reviewing the union’s response and will be seeking further clarification as needed. Further meetings are scheduled for Friday and Monday,” a press release explained. “Canada Post is committed to reaching new collective agreements through the bargaining process.”
“The parties will meet on Friday to resume good faith discussions with the assistance of federal mediators,” said Lisa Liu, media relations with Canada Post. “The company looks forward to receiving a detailed and comprehensive response from CUPW that addresses the real, significant and increasing challenges faced by the postal service.”
Ms. Liu explained in the release, “Canada Post is facing an existential crisis. Letter mail volumes continue to erode and competition in the parcel line of business places ever increasing pressure on the Corporation’s operating model. This reality was confirmed by the independent Industrial Inquiry Commission led by Commissioner William Kaplan. While negotiations remain unresolved, there remains an urgent need to modernize Canada Post and protect this vital national service for Canadians.”
Jan Simpson, national president of CUPW said in a release August 13, “After pressing the employer to come back to the bargaining table early last week we received a response from Canada Post chief executive officer Dug Ettinger on Friday evening, just hours after the posted Bulletin 128, “CUPW is Waiting for Canada Post.” In his letter, Mr. Ettinger stuck to the lines we’ve heard from Canada Post for many months now.”
“And while Canada Post says it needs to act with urgency, the corporation seems to forget that it was its side that delayed negotiations for two months by requesting a forced vote, and this after the government paused our legal strike for six months,” wrote Ms. Simpson.
Ms. Simpson wrote that Canada Post has suggested its “best and final offers” reflected the “objective findings” of the Industrial Inquiry Commission. But Canada post failed to acknowledge that its offers just didn’t cut it; they were overwhelmingly rejected by members.”
“Mr. Ettinger told us Canada Post was open to continued discussions with the help of federal mediators,” continued Ms. Simpson. “He suggested the best way to restart bargaining would be for the union to respond to Canada Post’s best and final offers from May 28.”
“But we have had enough discussions that go nowhere. The job now is to get ratifiable collective agreements,” said Ms. Simpson. “And the members have made it clear that these do not look like what the employer is selling.”
“In the meantime, the employer needs to stop sending customers away, offering steep discounts for Purolator and attacking services—the latest is not putting the flag up on rural mailboxes,” explained Ms. Simpson.
“It’s time for Canada Post to get serious and negotiate now,” stated Ms. Simpson. “Our national overtime ban remains in effect.”
Global News reported that the statement that Canada Post is in an existential crisis echoed the findings from an IIC report from Commissioner Kaplan earlier this year, which found the postal service was effectively bankrupt and needed substantial reforms to remain afloat.
The negotiations between the two parties have been going on for more than a year and a half.
CUPW has been calling for a return to the bargaining table ever since the results of a two-week vote administered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board were announced on August 1, which saw more than two-thirds of urban and rural mail carriers rejecting their respective contract offers. The union has accused both CP and the federal government of delaying negotiations through the vote and an attempt at arbitration that went nowhere, reported Global News.
