Canada Post and CUPW talks remain at a standstill after the Crown corporation stated the latest round of union counteroffers has widened the gap in negotiations.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Although no members of the local 776 CUPW were laid off by Canada Post for participating in strike action, more than 300 members across the union received pink slips at the end of November for participating in the national strike that began Nov. 15.
On Wednesday the union reported it has successfully challenged the temporary layoff notices issued to 328 CUPW members with the assistance of the Canada Industrial Relations Board.
The union said issuing layoff notices was an “unprecedented move” by Canada Post and a serious violation of the country’s labour code, as well as a violation of fundamental rights workers have to strike under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The settlement also protects union workers’ jobs throughout the duration of the strike, which started nearly month ago and is affecting mail and package delivery services across the country as the Holiday Season arrives.
Canada Post on Wednesday said the union’s latest round of counteroffers and demands would cost more than $3 billion over the next four years, stating that the are “unaffordable and unsustainable.”
The Crown corporation said the union’s counteroffer has in fact widened the gap in negotiations, citing key issues including the cost of increased wages, established sick days and making contracted staff permanent employees.
Wednesday’s statement came as a shock for the more than 100 local postal workers in Medicine Hat, Redcliff and Brooks, who say they are eager to get back to work and expected progress in negotiations after the union made significant concessions in its latest round of proposals.
Wages
Canada Post says it’s not in a financial position to meet the union’s wage increase proposal of 19 per cent over four years, increasing by nine per cent the first year, six per cent the second year and four per cent the following two years of the collective agreement.
Prior to a counter-proposal sent to Canada Post last Thursday, the union was seeking a 25 per cent increase in wages for workers over the next four years.
However, despite backing the request off by five per cent, Canada Post said the union’s latest offer “is far from where we need to be, and now it’s widening the gap in negotiations.”
Local 776 vice-president Karen Hellawell hopes the general public will gain clarity on how the corporation responded to the latest round of negotiations.
“We are not widening the gap by any stretch of the imagination, matter of fact, we’re the ones now taking concessions and trying to get back to the table.”
The corporation says it has offered union workers wage hikes of 11.97 per cent compounded over the next four years.
Personal and medical days
Wednesday’s press release from Canada Post counters the union’s demand that includes 10 medical days a year and seven personal days, with an offer of a total of 13 multi-use personal days per year.
Hellawell says CUPW workers currently do not receive any sick days and are required to use one of their seven personal days if they need to call in because they do not have a sick-leave clause.
The union’s proposal matches federal legislation to support federal workers with 10 days of paid sick leave that came into effect in December 2022 to help protect workers during the tail-end of the pandemic.
“What we’re doing is saying we want those government-issued days that the government has gifted federal workers because of COVID, because of the need for them, we want those written into clutch agreements,” explains Hellawell.
Canada Post is offering four fewer days then the union is seeking and is proposing the total of 13 would be grouped into one category that can be used for personal, sick or vacation days.
Contract vs. unionized staff
Bending against its firm demand to allow Canada Post to hire “gig” or contract workers, the union’s latest round of counteroffers conceded on this request, saying it would settle for the hiring of part-time unionized staff that could fill delivery gaps on weekends and help reduce overtime hours.
Hellawell says she expected Canada Post to accept this portion of the union’s offer.
“We’ll give you the flexibility that you want in terms of delivering your packages on the weekends and not incurring overtime, just use part-time staff.
“We also conceded in terms on the rural side,” says Hellawell. “We said, ‘OK, you can have the flexibility to use these (part-time workers) to do overtime on people’s routes and do parcels on weekends.'”
Canada Post says adding unionized part-time staff would add further unsustainable long-term fixed costs for the corporation, which is seeking to hire contract workers for support services and parcel deliveries who would bid on the tender for the work.
“Canada Post has proposed creating new staffing positions that would support weekend delivery, providing permanent jobs with guaranteed hours and benefits,” and says the corporation has proposed measures that would allow it to plan and optimize delivery routes based on volumes, delivery addresses and pickups.
The province’s minister of jobs, economy and trade released a statement Wednesday sharing his concerns with the lack of progress in negotiations, saying the strike has already had serious and far-reaching effects on Albertans.
“From individuals waiting for mail during the Christmas season, to businesses that depend on timely deliveries to successfully operate and remain profitable,” said Minister Matt Jones. “According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Canada Post strike costs small- and medium-sized businesses in Canada $76 million per day.”
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