Canada Post and the Union Urged to Resume Negotiations
Federal Employment Minister Urges Union to Respond to Canada Post Proposals
Canada Post Strike: Minister Calls for Negotiation Resolution
In Ottawa, Federal Employment Minister Patty Hajdu has urged the union representing Canada Post strikers to respond to the latest offers from the Crown corporation. Her remarks were made during a briefing as she attended the Liberal caucus meeting. Nearly two years after negotiations began, Hajdu emphasized the need for both sides to work towards an agreeable solution.
“Everyone involved understands the process,” Hajdu stated, highlighting the importance of continuous negotiation until a mutually acceptable agreement is reached.
Government Intervention in the Canada Post Strike?
Minister Hajdu did not directly address whether the federal government would invoke Section 107 of the Canadian Labour Code to end the strike, a measure Ottawa previously considered during last year’s holiday postal strike. When asked, Hajdu simply stated, “I expect them to put all cards on the table and find an agreement.”
Union Stance and Strike Background
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) initiated strike action approximately two weeks ago. This was a response to Ottawa’s announcement of sweeping changes to Canada Post’s mandate aimed at restructuring the struggling postal service’s operations.
CUPW has criticized these changes, which include expanding community mailboxes and closing certain rural post offices, accusing the government of bypassing the negotiation process. In contrast, Canada Post has welcomed the proposed changes as a necessary step given its severe financial challenges.
Canada Post’s Offer and Union Reaction
Late last week, Canada Post presented new proposals, maintaining a wage increase offer of 13.56% over four years while eliminating a signing bonus and introducing provisions related to planned job cuts. The union, however, has dismissed these offers as regressive and accused Canada Post of not taking negotiations seriously.
Minister Hajdu remarked, “We expect, if the union is unsatisfied with this offer, that they will make a counter-offer,” reiterating that federal mediators will be present to assist both parties in reaching a consensus. “This is how mediation and negotiations work,” she added.
Upcoming Discussions and Union Demands
On Wednesday evening, CUPW was set to meet with Hajdu’s colleague, Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Services, and Procurement, who oversees Canada Post. This meeting, expected to be their first in-person discussion with Lightbound, would primarily address the recent changes to Ottawa’s mandate and Canada Post’s latest proposals.
CUPW is calling on the minister to retract the changes introduced nearly two weeks ago, arguing these would jeopardize the long-term future of the postal service.
Canada Post’s Changes: Impact on Delivery Standards
Lisa Liu, Canada Post’s spokesperson, clarified that the federal government’s changes do not eliminate daily mail delivery but merely alter delivery standards. For instance, Canadians can currently expect local letter delivery within two days, while national delivery takes up to four days. Ottawa aims to adjust these standards to reflect decreased letter volume, permitting non-urgent mail to be transported by land instead of air, potentially saving Canada Post over $20 million annually.
Following the September 25 announcement, Canada Post has 45 days to respond with an implementation plan for the government’s measures.
