Current Status of Talks

As reported in Negotiations Bulletin #75, CUPW and Canada Post returned to the bargaining table on Wednesday and Thursday this week in Ottawa. The meetings were facilitated by two Mediators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS) who are very familiar with our file.

When the parties met in December, January, and March, many of our issues remained unresolved. This week, the parties agreed to discuss a list of items that had been partially agreed to in previous discussions, with the aim of finalizing them as a way to restart and reinvigorate the discussions. We did not address the issues where significant differences remain this week.

We no longer have the shadow of a federal election or the threat of a new majority government hanging over the bargaining process, and we are hopeful that the new minority government will not want to begin its mandate by attacking postal workers.  During this trade war, we would expect the Government to support its own workers and the most Canadian delivery solution available, Canada Post.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Inquiry Commission report is set to be delivered to the Minister of Labour no later than May 15. CUPW and Canada Post should know the contents of the report soon after. CUPW has always maintained the Commission’s mandate was too broad and was not the appropriate venue to discuss the major regulatory changes proposed by Canada Post. However, we used the Commission to present our position on bargaining and as well as proposals for Canada Post. We hope that the Commissioner’s recommendations will reflect what we said.

Over the next two weeks, the parties will continue to meet with the help of the FCMS to finalize new collective agreements for the Urban Postal Operations (UPO) and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) bargaining units.

All levels of CUPW have one goal in mind: negotiate good collective agreements that can be ratified by the membership. We encourage all of you to raise your voices with the employer to tell them you support your negotiations committees. We need to show the employer that we are united if we are going to reach agreements in the next three weeks.

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In solidarity,