Earlier today, Canada Post agreed to a 30-day extension which will allow discussion and negotiations towards a new contract without the need for a strike. In that statement, the postal service said binding arbitration would eliminate uncertainty for workers and for customers, who are already moving business to private couriers. While the names and companies have been blacked out from the documents, one of the largest corporate users of Canada Post said a work stoppage would “place onerous burdens on corporations” to meet regulatory obligations.
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Canada Post has said it will lockout its 50,000 unionized employees Monday at 12:01 a.m. ET.in the event that a deal is not reached.
It says it is willing to submit to binding arbitration in an effort to resolve the ongoing labour dispute.
The union said it was prepared to engage in “intensive negotiations” with Canada Post during the cooling-off period, and would drop a labour practices complaint against the Crown corporation that it launched two days ago as a sign of “good faith”. Canada Post and the union remain at loggerheads on two big issues: CUPW’s request for wage increases for rural mail carriers and the pension changes Canada Post says it needs to reduce costs.
Would you be directly affected by a postal disruption? However, government benefit cheques like old age security and Canada Pension Plan payments would still be delivered on the 20th of the month, but not items like municipal hydro and water bills.
The two sides appear to be far apart on several major issues after seven months of negotiations, including 60 days of conciliation talks and more than 30 days with federal mediators.
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The union declined the offer as a “matter of principle” and later warned that they would take their battle for pay equity to the Canadian Human Rights Commission or the courts. Until now, it’s unclear if the union will accept that condition.
