A nationwide postal workers strike will enter its second week just after midnight Friday as negotiations between Canada Post and CUPW have been temporarily suspended. Local postal workers continue picketing as chilly weather rolls into the region.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
A federal special mediator appointed to lead negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has temporarily suspended talks as the national strike involving more than 55,000 postal workers nationwide enters its second week.
Labour Minister Steven Mackinnon on Thursday afternoon asked both sides to meet with him and told reporters the special mediator would return to the negotiation table “as soon as productive bargaining can begin anew.”
However, local union representatives told the News the CUPW remains committed to fighting for fair wages, better working conditions and extended services, all key issues the union has been unable to negotiate with the Crown corporation.
“We’re not just fighting for postal workers, we’re fighting for better working conditions across the board,” says local 776 vice-president Karen Hellawell.
In a press release Tuesday, Canada Post said it’s considering its options to move negotiations forward and has “put forward detailed proposals to bring more flexibility to its outdated, mail-based delivery model.”
One of the union’s demands includes wages brought in line with inflation and the removal of a two-tier compensation system for workers. As well, the union is seeking to standardize all workers Canada Post contracts work out to.
Hellawell says Canada’s Post latest proposal would involve hiring part-time workers to fill in delivery gaps over the weekends, a service currently unavailable through Canada Post.
“So what they’re proposing is predominantly part-time shifts for just delivering parcels. On the weekend they came to the table and said, ‘Well, people want part-time, they’re young people, they want flexibility.’ No, they don’t,” said Hellawell.
The Crown’s proposal also put forward the idea of contracting drivers, similar to using a service like Skip the Dishes, to deliver weekend parcels.
“We have to start delivering more parcels, we have to do some weekend work,” explains Hellawell. “They have means to do the current collective agreement but they choose not to because it will obviously cost them.”
Representatives say the union strongly opposes recent proposals as it seeks to unionize any staff Canada Post contracts out, ensuring fair wages and working conditions for all.
“To come to the table with concession is one thing, to come to the table with regression is completely unacceptable,” says Hellawell.
Locally, more than 100 postal workers in Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Brooks and surrounding communities remain on the picket line as temperatures remain cold across the region.
Using small propane fire pits, warm coffee and a heated tent union workers continue wearing signs with phrases that include, “from COVID heroes to zeroes” as they picket along the snowy sidewalk in front of the Canada Post Office on Kipling Street.
Canada Post said this week it’s missed out on delivering an estimated 10 million parcels since the national strike of more than 55,000 workers across the country began.
Last Friday, the company reported a third-quarter loss of $315 million before taxes, and has reported losses of more than $3 billion since 2018.
