UPDATED: Tentative deal reached in postal labour dispute
By Nelson Daily Staff
A tentative deal has been reach between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers averting job action by the union.
“We can’t give details of the agreements at this time, but we’re pleased that our members don’t have to resort to taking job action,” Mike Palecek, national president of CUPW said in a statement.
The tentative agreements, reached in the early hours of Tuesday morning, must still be ratified by more than 50,000 postal workers across the country before they become new contracts.
The negotiations were extended twice since the weekend, when a deadline expired on a 72-hour job action notice issued last Thursday CUPW reps.
Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk said in a statement that the agreements were reached “voluntarily”.
Both sides have been bargaining with the assistance of the two mediators.
CUPW OT ban begins in Alberta, NWT; mediation continues
Monday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers released this statement regarding mediation talks with Canada Post.
“Despite our best efforts and the assistance of the two mediators, we have not yet managed to achieve agreements in principle for either bargaining unit.”
“As requested by the mediators, the parties have agreed to extend the 72-hour notice under Section 87.2 of the Canada Labour Code for 24 hours. This means all job action is postponed until 00:01AM on Tuesday, August 30th.
“Also, all changes of employment are postponed for the 24-hour period and the collective agreements remain in effect.”
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The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is beginning job action in the form of a refusal of overtime in the province of Alberta and in the Northwest Territories on Monday morning if no settlement is reached, with Canada Post the union said in a media release Sunday.
However, the Union wants people to know they’ll still be getting their mail.
“We do not want to disrupt the mail for our customers,” said Brenda Muscoby-Yanke, President Nelson Local.
“But we do need the corporation to negotiate meaningful. We hope this will put pressure on them to talk with CUPW negotiating committee. We have the right to negotiate under the laws of our country.”
CUPW said overtime has been a major issue for the Union, which has been demanding that Canada Post staff its workforce properly and build routes that match scheduled hours, instead of overburdening workers and making them stay on the job longer.
Postal workers can be forced back and severely disciplined for refusing overtime.
The overtime ban will rotate from province to province, one day at a time.
“We hope our action will put some pressure on Canada Post to negotiate and to realize that pushing us around isn’t going to work,” said Mike Palecek, national president of the CUPW.
In response to the minimal rotating job action CUPW said Canada Post has said it will cut off maternity and adoption leave as well as insurance and other benefits, and cancel the workers’ vacations.
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