As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, many provinces are implementing some form of lockdown beginning over the Holidays and continuing into January 2021. These lockdowns will close some schools, and create more demand for childcare.
In March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government closed schools and daycares. The government has now started to allow daycares and schools to open. Each province and city will be different in their approach, guidelines and dates of re-opening.
On April 17, 2020 the Ford Government announced an expansion of eligible workers able to access free emergency child care in Ontario. It was the right thing to do, even if overdue. Added to the list of workers were, “federally employed staff including Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency” and Canada Post employees.” Subsequently we learned that there was not, in fact, a directive issued by the Ford Government to Municipal Child Care Service Managers to restrict access to two-parent families, unless both parents are on the list of “designated” workers.
On April 17, 2020 the Ford Government announced an expansion of eligible workers able to access free emergency child care in Ontario. Added to the list of workers were, “federally employed staff including Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canada Border Services Agency and Canada Post employees.” We thought this was a win for postal workers in Ontario. What the Ford Government didn’t announce was a behind the scenes directive to municipal child care service managers to restrict access to two-parent families, unless both parents are on the list of “designated” workers. A little like giving with one hand and taking with the other.
Greetings Sisters, Brothers, Friends: The majority of provinces and territories have closed licensed child care services because of the COVID pandemic. This means that many postal workers lost access to their regular child care arrangements, but are still required to work. Provinces and territories have set up “emergency child care” for designated workers. The list of designated workers is different in every province/territory and is changing daily. Some provinces/territories list postal workers as eligible, while others do not.
Canada Post takes its cue from the Federal Government to extend leave provisions for workers beyond the April 10, 2020 deadline. Responding to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Canada Post is directing supervisors to approve paid Special Leave for postal workers needing to be home with children because of school and child care closures. This also applies to members who have to step in to provide care for elderly parents.
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.