Canada Post says no response from union on latest offer
With just hours left before an expected Canada Post strike, the union representing postal workers has not responded to the latest offer from the Crown corporation, it said in a statement Thursday morning.
With a day to go before Canada Post workers are expected to walk off the job, the union representing them said on Wednesday it is reviewing the latest offer from the Crown corporation.
“We have not yet received an official response from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) about the global offers we presented to them on Wednesday morning. We are ready to return to the table as soon as possible with the assistance of the mediator,” the statement said.
While CUPW had asked for two weeks to review and consider the offer, Canada Post turned down their demand.
“The offers we put forward provide increased wages, remove key sticking points and changes needed to compete in the parcel delivery business. They also reflect the Corporation’s financial and operational realities,” the statement from Canada Post on Thursday said.
Since 2006, letter mail volumes have declined by 60 per cent, with just 2.2 billion delivered in 2023.
In Thursday’s statement, Canada Post said its volume of mail was already being impacted further ahead of a potential strike on Friday.
“Canada Post has already seen parcel and mail volumes decline significantly as customers prepare for another labour disruption. We remain hopeful that negotiations can resume. Further delays or another strike would have a major impact on employees, small businesses and the millions of Canadians who rely on the postal system,” the statement said.
The clock started ticking on Monday when CUPW gave Canada Post a 72-hour strike notice. On Wednesday, the union said is considering a fresh offer from the Crown corporation.
The union has until midnight on Friday to consider the offer if both sides are to avoid a work stoppage.
Canada Post confirmed in a statement Wednesday that a new offer has been tabled proposing a 13.59 per cent pay hike over four years and benefits for part-time workers.
CUPW president Jan Simpson said in a statement that the union will “carefully review the details of the offers” once they are presented to “ensure they align with the priorities and needs of our members.”
“We will provide a comprehensive update once we’ve completed our review and analysis,” the statement said.
“Negotiators for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have now received global offers from Canada Post for both our Urban Postal Operation (UPO) and the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) bargaining units. We will be taking the time to carefully analyze and review the offers,” the statement said.
The union added, “Canada Post walked away from the bargaining table for a third time over a week ago. Given the delay, we hope that these offers will be substantive and respect the needs of workers as well as the communities we serve. The offers must ensure a stronger public post office, both for now and for the future.”
A spokesperson for Canada Post said they denied the union’s request to take two weeks to consider the offer.
“After two years of discussions, a lengthy strike and a five-month pause for the Industrial Inquiry Commission, our employees, customers and Canadians are looking for the certainty that only agreements can provide. Further delay is in no one’s interest,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
At issue between the union and Crown corporation are key demands around worker pay, the use of temporary workers, weekend delivery, benefits and pensions, and how Canada Post could meet a “critical financial situation” that experts have said could go “the route of Blockbuster.”
The offer from the national postal service includes a wage increase of six per cent in year one, three per cent in year two, two per cent in year three and two per cent in year four. This would be a compounded increase of 13.59 per cent over four years, Canada Post said in a statement on Wednesday.
The company is also offering to make changes to its part-time employment system.
“The company will create stable and predictable part-time jobs for people who are looking for flexible work. The part-time positions will provide health and pension benefits and scheduled and guaranteed hours (15 to 40 hours of work per week),” the statement said.
“The creation of part-time jobs increases the company’s delivery flexibility, especially on weekends, while ensuring that letter carriers are not required to work weekend shifts.”
Future employees, hired after the signing of the new collective agreements, will receive health and pension benefits after six months of regular employment, the company said.
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