The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered postal workers to return to work December 17, 2024, in a clear violation of our Charter rights. We want to praise all postal workers across the country who made huge sacrifices, holding strong on picket lines for good jobs, fair wages, and a strong public post office.
After almost five weeks of a nationwide strike, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), under the direction of the Minister of Labour, has stripped the right to strike from postal workers. Legal strike action ends at 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, but the fight goes on.
Following the minister of Labour’s order on December 13, 2024, the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) rendered its decision late last night. The minister ordered the CIRB to “Assess the likelihood of the parties reaching negotiated agreements by December 31, 2024, in the current circumstances.” If the CIRB was to determine that agreements were unlikely, it was to “order the Canada Post Corporation and all employees represented by the CUPW RSMC and CUPW UPO to resume and continue their operation and duties until May 22, 2025.”
As you may know by now, the Minister of Labour, Steve MacKinnon, is using his powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to request that the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) determine if the CUPW and Canada Post can negotiate a tentative agreement in the very near future. If the CIRB decides they cannot then the CIRB will order postal workers back to work. We denounce in the strongest terms this assault on our constitutionally protected right to free and fair collective bargain and our right to strike.
OTTAWA– Today, the Union has learned that the Minister of Labour is using his powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to direct the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to determine whether Canada Post and CUPW can negotiate collective agreements in the near future.
Today, CUPW successfully challenged the temporary layoff notices that Canada Post improperly issued to approximately 328 striking CUPW members in November 2024.
In our most recent proposals to Canada Post, the Union addressed many issues the Employer had first brought to the bargaining table. Far from trying to “widen the gap in negotiations,” the Union’s intention is to help the parties come to negotiated agreements. CUPW wants nothing more than for its members to have good collective agreements, with their rights protected.
This afternoon, December 9, the Urban and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers Negotiations Committees met directly with Canada Post to present revised proposals in response to the Corporation’s latest proposals.
Today, December 6, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) received Canada Post’s response to the Union’s counter proposals presented through the government-appointed Special Mediator on December 4, 2024.
Union Negotiators are currently reviewing these latest proposals, before responding through the Special mediator.
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.
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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.
This September, CUPW joins its Malayali brothers and sisters with joy and pride to observe Onam celebrations in Canada. Onam is one of the most significant regional festivals celebrated in Kerala, the southernmost state of India.
After pressing the Employer to come back to the bargaining table early last week, we received a response from Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger on Friday evening, just hours after we posted Bulletin 128, “CUPW is Waiting for Canada Post.” In his letter, Mr. Ettinger stuck to the lines we’ve heard from Canada Post for many months now.