According to CFIB, more than 90 per cent of business owners say Canada Post’s delivery services are somewhat or very important to their business.
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Canada Post issued a 72-hour notice of a lockout early Tuesday morning. “Just the threat of a strike has the same impact on our business as an actual strike used to”, said spokesperson Jon Hamilton, adding the company has to readjust its staff.
The work stoppage would cause disruption in mail service for Saskatchewan residents and businesses, but some don’t seem to care.
Sheikh said there is public pressure on both sides to reach a deal.
Rather, it said, the measure would allow it to “take measures that are necessary to respond to the changing business reality”.
While Ottawa isn’t considering back-to-work legislation yet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that could change if the stoppage goes on too long. Negotiations have been ongoing since November, though on June 25, Canada Post presented the Canadian Union of Postal Workers with a final offer that it calls “fair and reasonable”, and the CUPW said is “trying to bully us”.
“It has been in the works, they’ve also tried to provoke us, testing us along by first cutting off our benefits, and then saying we’re not going to cut off our benefits, and now imposing a lockout”.
We encourage BCGEU members to show solidarity with CUPW members by supporting CUPW workers on their picket lockout lines and by contacting their MP to demand that Canada Post negotiate an agreement that treats all workers equitably.
In reaction, Mike Palecek, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. said “We knew this was their game all along”. He said that rural and suburban mail carriers, who are mostly women, make 28 per cent less than their urban, mostly male counterparts. Canada Post wants to introduce a defined contribution pension plan for new workers, reports Benefits Canada.
In the event mail service discontinues, the Weyburn Review has arranged to have subscriber copies available for pick up in the following communities by Thursday afternoon each week.
He said Canada Post turned a $100-million profit a year ago and appears to be on track for bigger profits in 2016, although the Crown Corporation refuses to open its books to the union.
In order to take this step, Canada Post said the corporation has followed the procedural requirements and issued a 72-hour notice to the union.
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“Customers are already looking to avoid the risk of a work disruption”.
