Right to Strike Ruled a Charter Right in 2016 Ontario Superior Court Decision - For immediate release - Ottawa - The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) will file a constitutional challenge today with the Ontario Superior Court after being legislated back to work by the Liberal government two weeks ago.
What is Canada Post doing? While your Negotiating Committee is getting ready for the mediation phase outlined in the Act, Canada Post is packing up and leaving the hotel without even letting the Union know. What a show of class and respect! It appears that Canada Post has no intention of fully taking part in the mediation set out in the back-to-work legislation.
The government has aligned themselves with Canada Post. They have legislated more pain, injuries and unpaid work. But they cannot legislate labour peace. Canada Post has the potential to do many great things for people and for our communities while creating safe, stable and decent jobs. And yet, we find ourselves back in a familiar place, where once again, the governing party has sided with the richest interests in the country, proving that corporations really control political power.
Ottawa – After 37 days of rotating strikes, unconstitutional legislation has removed the right to strike for postal workers. Legal strike action ends at noon today, but the struggle is not over. You cannot legislate labour peace. We are now moving to a different phase of the struggle. We are asking members to return to their regularly scheduled shifts as of 12:00 pm ET and await further instructions. In the coming days, we will be calling on our allies and membership for a campaign of mobilizations, demonstrations and non-violent civil disobedience. All options remain on the table to achieve negotiated collective agreements that address health and safety, equitable treatment, fair wages and working conditions, and the democratic right to free collective bargaining.
After 37 days of rotating strikes, unconstitutional legislation has removed the right to strike for postal workers. Legal strike action ends at noon today, but the struggle is not over. You cannot legislate labour peace. We are now moving to a different phase of the struggle. We are asking members to return to their regularly scheduled shifts as of 12:00 pm ET and await further instructions.
CUPW Vows to Keep Fighting; All Options on the Table - For Immediate Release - OTTAWA – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is exploring all options to fight the back-to-work legislation passed in the Senate this evening, which will send our members back to the same old unresolved problems in the workplace at the busiest time of the year.
“Postal workers are rightly dismayed and outraged,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “This law violates of our right to free collective bargaining under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.”
Liberal Government Betrays Postal Workers, Passes Back-to-Work Legislation - For Immediate Release - OTTAWA – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is exploring all options to fight the back-to-work legislation fast-tracked through the House of Commons early this morning which will send our members back to the same old unresolved problems in the workplace at the busiest time of the year.
Bill C-89 passed the House of Commons last night. Even though mediator-assisted negotiations are still going on, the Trudeau Liberal government chose to undercut our bargaining power and send us back to the same old unresolved problems in the workplace. We condemn the legislation as a hypocritical act by a government that promised to defend workers’ rights, claimed to stand for equality for women, and claimed to stand for expanding and defending the middle class. It’s unacceptable for any government to violate workers’ Charter rights, especially one that said it would work to improve labour relations at Canada Post. Shame on Trudeau and Hajdu, who promised better.
As the debate carries on over the back to work legislation, your negotiating committee is continuing to work with mediator Mr. Morton Mitchnick. We will continue as long as we can to attempt and achieve negotiated collective agreements. Legislation and arbitration are not the way to resolve this dispute and to try and improve the relationship between CUPW and Canada Post.
The Liberal government has intervened in the labour dispute at Canada Post. The Minister of Labour introduced back-to-work legislation that fundamentally violates the right to free collective bargaining, guaranteed to all workers in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We know from experience that Canada Post management has only one strategy: sit back and wait for legislation, and the Liberal government is now doing their dirty work.
Support Postal Banking - Download and Sign the Petition
Canada needs a postal bank. Thousands of rural towns and villages in our country do not have a bank, but many of them have a post office that could provide financial services. As well, nearly two million Canadians desperately need an alternative to payday lenders. A postal bank could be that alternative. Download and sign the petition urging the Government of Canada to instruct Canada Post to add postal banking, with a mandate for financial inclusion.
The Federal mediators advised us that Canada Post has cancelled today’s (August 25) planned meeting. The Corporation says it needs more time to review our latest global offers. We are expecting to receive more questions from Canada Post about our offers through the Federal mediators.
Yesterday, August 20, CUPW’s Negotiating Committees returned to the bargaining table to present comprehensive global offers for both the RSMC and Urban bargaining units.
While we had planned to meet again tomorrow, Canada Post has told us today that it needs more time to review our offers.
Tomorrow, August 20, your Negotiating Committee will return to the bargaining table to present new global offers for both postal bargaining units to Canada Post.
Unfortunately, our scheduled meetings for Friday, August 15th and Monday, August 18th, have been postponed. The Federal mediators will not be able to assist CUPW and CPC due to their current involvement in the Air Canada negotiations.