This January, we are celebrating the Tamil Heritage Month in Canada. It is a special time to commemorate and value the significant contributions of Canadians of Tamil origin to our country. Tamil Canadians have positively impacted Canada's cultural, economic, social, and political landscape.
Please note: This information contained in this bulletin about the RAMQ only applies to CUPW members living in the Province of Quebec.
On November 15, Canada Post suspended the Extended Health Care Plan (the “EHCP”), including prescription drug coverage. Therefore, as of this date, Canada Post employees who do not have access to another plan find themselves without drug insurance coverage.
Judy Rossiter was a passionate and dedicated early child care educator and fierce advocate for the rights of women, families and children in Newfoundland and Labrador. Judy got involved in the early efforts of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Child Care Fund to find child care solutions for postal workers in St. John’s, Newfoundland.
CUPW is pleased to announce that for a limited time, additional life insurance coverage for both members and spouses can be obtained without completion of a medical questionnaire. No evidence of insurability required!
Thirty-five years ago, a gunman walked into an engineering class at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, separated the women from the men, and proceeded to murder 14 young women. This act of violent misogyny shook the country and led the Government of Canada to designate December 6 as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
The month of November was designated as Hindu Heritage Month in 2022 by the Government of Canada. It was established to celebrate and honour the rich and diverse contributions of the Hindu community to the country, the world, and our Union. Hindu Heritage Month serves as a reflection on the values of peace, non-violence, respect for nature, and unity that are core to Hindu teachings. Hindu values consider the entire world a family when they say “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”
10 Days of Action to Protect the Vision of $10 Dollar a Day Child Care for All -
In 2021, the Federal Liberal Government announced its $10 a day Child Care plan, with a commitment of creating 86,000 new public and non-profit Child Care spaces. The centrepiece of this Federal pledge is to spend $30 billion over five years to create a Canada-wide $10-a-day child-care system by 2026.
The Education Department held a Symposium for CUPW facilitators from September 12 – 15, 2024. In total, 90 people took part, including participants (CUPW worker educators), Regional Education and Organizing Officers (REOOs), Union Reps (URs), staff, those facilitating sessions, guest speakers, and our 2nd National Vice-President, Coleen Jones.
You need to stay informed regarding negotiations as well as on all other important Union matters.
To ensure members remain informed, CUPW is using all means available to provide you with current information.
On September 30, we join with Indigenous communities across Canada in commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day also known as Orange Shirt Day. Let us reflect on the legacy of residential schools and the enduring impacts they have had on Indigenous families and communities.
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.
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.
A week ago, CUPW members spoke loudly and rejected what Canada Post called its “best and final” offers. The goal of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers remains negotiating ratifiable collective agreements which meet postal workers’ needs, help grow the current services provided by a public post office and to better serve Canadians with new services.
Last week, postal workers decisively rejected Canada Post’s “best and final offers” in the government-forced vote. With a turnout of over 80%, nearly 70% of our members told Canada Post, “No, these offers won’t do it!”
Every employer in the Federal and Provincial sector has been watching us. Rejecting these offers was a victory not only for our Union, but for the labour movement as a whole.
To all CUPW members,
Thank you for showing up, for standing together, and for participating in the government forced vote. Regardless of how you voted, your participation was an act of solidarity and strength. And for those who voted to reject the final offers, your decision sent a powerful message: “We know our worth, and we deserve better”.
After almost two weeks of voting, the results are now in: CUPW members in both bargaining units have spoken, and they have rejected Canada Post’s global offers.
We’ve now entered the second and final week of the government-imposed forced vote on Canada Post’s “final” offers. As of July 28, 69 % of Urban members and 71.4 % of RSMC members have already casted their vote. Voting continues until 5 pm EST on August 1.
On March 24, 2021, the House of Commons voted to designate August 1st as Emancipation Day to commemorate the slavery abolition act of 1833, which took effect in 1834 and paved the way for the liberation of over 800,000 enslaved Black people across the “British Empire”, including parts of the Caribbean, Africa, South America and Canada.
On July 23, Canada Post shared some information about its “final” offers and the vote that is currently underway with members. Information was shared via email as well as distributed in some workplaces.