Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) are gearing up for a crucial meeting this Friday as negotiations intensify after weeks of impasse and mounting pressure from both sides.
The upcoming session marks a significant development in the ongoing labor dispute between the Crown corporation and the union, with 44 days passing since CUPW’s last proposal submission and 63 days since a failed forced vote.
Anticipation is high as union negotiators are poised to receive Canada Post’s latest global offers during the meeting. Following a thorough review, CUPW plans to promptly update its members on the outcome.
The deadlock, encompassing issues such as wages, part-time work, and delivery standards, has led to a prolonged standoff affecting 55,000 postal workers represented by CUPW.
In a recent turn of events, CUPW members rejected what was labeled as Canada Post’s “final offer” in early August, prompting the union to present a counterproposal that the Corporation deemed financially burdensome during challenging times for the postal service.
The ongoing financial struggles of Canada Post have fueled its push for concessions, including discussions on weekend delivery and the utilization of part-time employees, while CUPW advocates for enhanced protections and better compensation for its workforce.
Tensions escalated further when CUPW implemented a ban on delivering unaddressed flyers, known as Neighbourhood Mail, as a strategic move to exert pressure on Canada Post to resume negotiations. The Corporation responded by urging the union to lift the ban, citing millions of flyers stuck in the postal network awaiting delivery.