 | There is no immediate end in sight for Postal strike. Canada Post has again turned down an offer put forward by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) as part of the collective bargaining process. To date the rotating postal strikes have not affected Cornwall and S,D, and G. | |
Cornwall - Jun. 7, 2011 - There is no immediate end in sight for Postal strike. Canada Post has again turned down an offer put forward by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) as part of the collective bargaining process.
In a formal response to the union, Canada Post stated that “CUPW's proposals remain too expensive and fail to address the challenges facing the postal system. The union's latest offer would still add a significant amount of new costs to Canada Post over the life of the contract and does not offer realistic solutions and flexibility to problems such as declining mail volumes, increasing competition, and electronic substitutions of traditional mail. CUPW has not yet put forward an offer that could form the basis of a deal with Canada Post.”
In speaking with the union, Canada Post has also agreed to withdraw one of its key proposals. The company had previously proposed a system that would create more part-time positions to help it adapt to a steady decline in mail volumes. With the hope that CUPW would start to address the issues facing the postal system, Canada Post has offered to withdraw this key proposal.
Approximately 85 per cent of the jobs in CUPW's urban bargaining unit are full-time positions.
Talks between the company and union continue in an effort to obtain a collective agreement that meets the needs of customers, employees and the company.
Despite the rotating strikes that are being undertaken by CUPW, most of the postal network continues to operate. Mail is being accepted and processed in all locations that are not impacted by a rotating strike. Customers can find up-to-date information about the labour situation at Canada Post and register to receive updates by email or text online at www.infopost.ca/customer.
Postal workers in Victoria, B.C. and in Moncton, N.B. will be the next ones to walk out following Montreal.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has called for a rotating strike for midnight, local time in the respective cities, lasting for 24 hours. About one thousand postal workers will be out on strike in various locations.
"In Victoria and Moncton, the public has suffered deterioration in postal service due to Canada Post's changes to the way mail gets processed and delivered. We have been saying all along that these changes don't make sense," said John Bail, National Director of the Pacific region for CUPW, referring to the consolidation of postal plants and the convoluted processes that have been created for the shipment and sortation of the mail.
"In Moncton, we have not only seen the restructuring of postal plants, but also job cuts that hurt our local communities," added Jeff Callaghan, CUPW National Director of the Atlantic region.
The union says that Canada Post continues to refuse to address the union's outstanding issues, including health and safety as well as demands for innovation and service expansion to keep the Crown corporation profitable.
To date the rotating postal strikes have not affected Cornwall and S,D, and G. |
