CUPW Commits to Delivering Pension and Social Assistance Cheques

The public post office distributes government cheques that are a vital part of the social safety net. We do not want pensioners and people who rely on government assistance to suffer during the current work disruption. The most vulnerable members of our society should not be caught in the crosshairs of our contract dispute with Canada Post.

As we have done in the past, CUPW has negotiated two agreements with Canada Post to ensure the delivery of provincial and federal government cheques in the event of a lockout or strike. One agreement covers Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) members and the other is for Urban Operations members.

Highlights of the agreements: 

• Up to two national days of delivery each month.
• Locals would recruit volunteers as required. 
• Volunteers will receive a $50.00 honorarium, as they have done during other strikes and lockouts. Legal experts have advised us that the honorarium may be necessary to protect members who file workers' compensation claims.
• RSMC volunteers will also receive 52 cents per kilometer driven.
• Volunteers, management personnel and contractors, need to be able to access CPC facilities.
• Locals should consult immediately with management to discuss the process.

The process for December will be more complex and require more volunteers than November.

Induction, transportation and processing of the cheques will occur between December 4 and December 17. Delivery days will be December 18 and 19.

The agreements are similar to those we signed in 1997, 2011 and 2016, and the one negotiated, but not used in 2003. 

Members who sort or deliver cheques while their local is locked out or on strike will be able to use these days to qualify for strike pay.

We know people want a settlement and fatigue is setting in.

CUPW members are doing this important work because it’s the right thing to do to help the most vulnerable in our community. Our fight is with Canada Post and not these members of society. They are relying on us now more than ever.

In Solidarity,