CUPW 812 President Nicole Chouinard says there is a growing concern postal workers could be off the job in a much larger capacity after the latest offer from Canada Post fell short of expectations.
Its pay offer of almost 14 per cent more over four years remains unchanged, as does its proposal to establish weekend parcel deliveries with part-time workers.
Chouinard told Vista Radio escalating job action will be more difficult this time after back to work legislation was issued by Ottawa the first time around in December.
“Canada Post has always had the government at their back. When you are negotiating with someone that can sit on their hands and wait for the federal government to get involved what incentive would Canada Post ever have to negotiate in good faith with the union.”
“There is very real fear from the members that they are going to be off work again in one way or another whether the union decides to escalate the strike action to rotating strikes or Canada Post chooses to lock us out. Neither scenario is good for us an individuals.”
The company added it’s proposing an end to compulsory overtime, signing bonuses, and better rates to compensate for cost of living increases.
The 55,000 union members have been in a legal strike position since last Friday…..but so far, have only instituted a ban on overtime.
Final offer
Canada Post has presented its “final offers” to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers yesterday, Wednesday, May 28.
According to Canada Post, the final offers “protect what’s most important to employees while making important enhancements that build on the company’s most recent offers,” as well as “act on the recommendations of the Industrial Inquiry Commission with much-needed changes to the company’s delivery model.”
Included in the offer is:
- Employees will receive a signing bonus of $1,000 or $500, depending on their role,
- Cost of living allowance payments would be triggered at a lower inflation threshold (7.16 per cent instead of 13.59 per cent)
- Letter carriers using the Dynamic Routing delivery model will continue to received a per-piece payment for Neighbourhood Mail deliveries until January 1st, 2030. The per-piece payments are on top of actual time values (Urban unit)
- Compulsory overtime will be removed, meaning the Corporation can no longer require employees to work mandatory overtime (Urban unit)
Canada Post said they are maintaining the wage offer, with current employees receiving wage increases of six per cent in year one, three per cent in year two, and two per cent in years three and tour (13.59 per cent compounded).
Under the final offer, Canada Post proposed what it calls “critical changes to to its delivery model to help it compete in parcel delivery seven days a week.”
This includes the creation of part-time positions that will provide health and pension benefits and scheduled and guaranteed hours.
Canada Post is also seeking an initial limited, implementation (10 facilities) of Dynamic Routing, under which delivery routes are planned and optimized daily.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers instituted a ban on overtime Friday last week, rather than a full-scale walk out.
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