Welcome to the 2023 edition of the Rose magazine! Every year CUPW proudly releases a new Rose to coincide with International Women’s Day. CUPW is made up of strong, passionate, and dedicated women, who, every day, work to improve the lives of CUPW members either on the workfoor, through Union organizing, educationals, and through various positions locally, regionally and nationally. The Rose is a vehicle not only to honour many of these women, but also to talk about the issues that affect us at work and in life.
Our history as women in the postal service has been a long struggle for equality. Today, women make up half of Canada Post’s workforce, but we need to remember some of our achievements along the way.
This year marks the 27th anniversary of the murders of 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montréal, Québec. The December 6th Montreal Massacre specifically targeted women and feminists and since then, December 6th has been commemorated as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.
Volume 15 Number 2, December 2013 Help us learn more about the impact of domestic violence in the workplace. When workers experience domestic violence at home, the workplace is impacted. To date, no Canadian research has been done on the scope and impact of domestic violence in the workplace. A new research study being launched December 6, 2013 will help fill this gap.
Volume 15, Number 1, March 2013 - This article explores the Idle No More movement through the eyes of three CUPW Sisters who are actively involved: Darlene Kaboni, from the Wikwemikong First Nation, Dodie Ferguson, from the Cowessess First Nation and Diane Mitchell, a Métis descendant from Ottawa. What is the Idle No More movement about? The Idle No More movement, which began in November 2012, has sparked creative actions and protest from coast to coast to coast in response to Bill C-45, the government’s sweeping omnibus budget legislation, and several other bills, which affect treaty rights and the environment.
In early 1912, in the textile manufacturing centre of Lawrence, Massachusetts, over 20,000 workers walked out of the mills to protest a rollback in their already meagre pay. When the work week was reduced by law from 56 to 54 hours a week, the textile bosses cut back the workers’ wages to match. The massive walk-out, organized by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), became known as the “Three Loaves Strike,” referring to what could be bought for the amount that wages were being cut, “The Singing Strike” because the songs of the IWW were being heard everywhere, and “The Bread and Roses Strike” because young women workers carried a banner with the slogan “We want bread and roses too.” The strike was begun and led by mainly immigrant women, creating unity and solidarity across ethnic, religious and cultural lines.
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.
On May 30, Canada Post sent a letter to Minister Patty Hajdu, responsible for Jobs and Families, asking her to use her power under section 108.1 of the Canada Labour Code to force a vote on the Employer’s latest offers for both bargaining units.
June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day, we honour the histories, cultures, resistance, and ongoing contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Turtle Island. This is a day to celebrate Indigenous resurgence and to reflect on the responsibilities we all carry as people living and working on Indigenous lands.
Today, May 30, CUPW met with Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, and John Zerucelli, Secretary of State for Labour. It was our second meeting with them since they were appointed to their positions after the federal election.
At the meeting, we shared our thoughts and concerns about negotiations and the recent global offers from Canada Post. We were assured that the Minister would continue to play an intermediary role in the bargaining process but will not intervene at this time.
Media Advisory -
OTTAWA - Canada Post’s plan will result in sweeping changes to our public postal system’s regulatory framework. The Corporation’s most recent contract offers to CUPW don’t drop its proposed rollbacks. When combined, this is sure to result in service and job cuts.
Wildfire season is early again this year. Fires are already raging in the northern part of the Prairies, in some Eastern provinces and in more isolated locations across the country. This is simply a reminder that we need to be ready to respond when such a situation arises again this year. In fact, some communities in Manitoba have received evacuation notices, and it is very likely that others will have to be evacuated over the coming weeks. In some part of Canada, the winter was mild with very little precipitation, increasing the risk of outbreaks. Therefore, we must once again be vigilant and ready to take the necessary measures to ensure everyone’s safety.
On May 28, Canada Post released its annual report for 2024. The Corporation posted a loss before tax of $841 million, continuing a pattern of financial losses since 2018. Canada Post puts the blame for the scale of its losses to several factors
Today, May 28, Canada Post presented what it calls its “best and final” offers for both the RSMC and Urban bargaining units.
While Canada Post insists that its offers reflect the Union’s demands from our May 25 proposal, there are almost no changes from what the Employer put forward on May 21. There's no question: Canada Post is not negotiating. Canada Post is playing hardball.
Application deadline: June 30, 2025 - On the fifth anniversary of the passing of Sister Megan Whitfield, CUPW is honoured to offer the Megan Whitfield bursary, two financial awards to encourage aspiring trade union activists to continue the important work Sister Whitfield started before her life was cut short.
The Union has now heard back from Canada Post through the federal mediators. The Employer has proposed to return to the bargaining table Wednesday (May 28) to provide the Union with a response to our latest proposals.
Union negotiators and the National Executive Board spent the last few days, and nights, reviewing the Employer’s last offers and preparing responses to issues in the offers and issues important to the Union that the Employer failed to acknowledge.