Local postal workers are seen on the picket lines as the national postal strike entered its fourth week. Local union representatives are hopeful negotiations between both sides will resume in the near-future.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Local 776 CUPW vice-president Karen Hellawell says the union is standing firm on its rejection to Canada Post hiring part-time workers to fill in delivery gaps on weekends, as the national strike enters into the fourth week.
As of publication Friday evening, Canada Post and the union are still not negotiating after bargain talks were suspended by a federal appointment special mediator, however the union says it has received a response from the Crown corporation, saying it’s ready to get back to the bargaining table.
Last weekend Canada Post sent the union a new framework of proposals. Thursday CUPW reported it sent a counter-proposal back to the federal minister and says it’s ready to resume negotiations.
“Our goal is to get back to the tables and hammer this thing out,” says Hellawell, who was able to tell the News there has been positive negotiations surrounding postal worker pensions, and the new proposed framework does include minimal wage increases for workers.
Hellawell says the union is bending on some of its demands in hopes of reaching an agreement with Canada Post, however the union will stand firm rejecting the introduction of non-unionized, part-time “gig” workers to deliver packages on weekends.
“That undermines both the premise of a union and the work that we do as postal workers, and that’s not acceptable.”
Hellawell says the union is ready to re-enter negotiation talks with Canada Post at any notice and is hoping for expediency from Canada Post, as local workers say they are ready to back to work before the holidays.
“The union has said time again … that we’re prepared to negotiate at the drop of a hat with the corporation, any time day or night.”
Hellawell says she is unsure if talks will resume over the weekend.
Locally more than 100 postal workers in Medicine Hat, Redcliff, Brooks and surrounding communities have joined more than 55,000 CUPW workers nationally to fight for better wages, their pensions and an expansion of Canada Post’s service while rejecting the mail services proposal to hire part-time, non-unionized workers.
