Arbitration begins today for new collective agreements – OTTAWA – The arbitration process imposed by the Trudeau government’s back to work legislation for postal workers begins today with negotiators from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post meeting with arbitrator Elizabeth MacPherson.
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.
Ottawa – Early this morning, we were informed that union and community members set up picket lines outside the mail processing plants in Hamilton and Kingston in Ontario to protest back to work legislation imposed on postal workers last week and fight for the right to free collective bargaining. In solidarity with postal workers, the protest-line allowed workers in, but did not allow mail out.
Ottawa – Early this morning, we were informed that union and community members set up picket lines outside the mail processing plant in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and outside the airport in Edmonton, Alberta to protest back to work legislation imposed on postal workers last week and fight for the right to free collective bargaining. In solidarity with postal workers, the protest-line allowed workers in, but did not allow mail out.
Ottawa – Early this morning, union and community members in Ottawa, Ontario set up picket lines outside Canada Post’s mail processing plant on Sandford Fleming Avenue to protest back to work legislation imposed on postal workers last week and fight for the right to free collective bargaining. In solidarity with postal workers, the protest-line allowed workers in, but did not allow mail out.
Ottawa – This morning, we were informed that Union and community members in London, Ontario set up picket lines outside the Mail Processing Plant. In solidarity with postal workers, the protest-line allowed workers in, but did not allow mail out.
For immediate release - Ottawa – This morning, we were informed that union and community members in Ontario set up picket lines at the Hamilton Processing Plant in Hamilton last night and the Tecumseh Post Office in Windsor today. In solidarity with postal workers, the protest-line will allow workers in, but will not allow mail out.
For immediate release - Ottawa – This morning, we were informed that members of several major unions in British Columbia have set up picket-lines at the Pacific Processing Centre, the third largest mail plant in the country. In solidarity with postal workers, the protest-line will allow workers in, but will not allow mail out.
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.
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.