The global pandemic is now more than a year old, and we still have no certainty on how and when it will end. We have yet to see exactly where postal workers will stand in the line for vaccinations, and we must continue to take appropriate precautions for at least several more months.
On February 24, 2021 Canada Post Corporation and the leadership of all the postal unions sent a joint letter requesting that Canada Post employees be given special attention in the prioritization of the distribution of vaccines. The letter was signed by myself, on behalf of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, and by Francois Paradis, National President of the Union of Postal and Communications Employees (UPCE), Brenda McAuley, National President of the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA), Michael Ling, National President of the Association of Postal Officials of Canada (APOC) and Susan Margles, Chief People and Safety Officer for Canada Post.
On this upcoming March 8, International Women’s Day, let us celebrate women for their labour, their talent, their resilience, and their compassion. Women are always at the forefront of improving others’ lives and during this pandemic, it has become painfully clear that they bear the brunt of care in increasingly frightening and dangerous ways. International Women’s Day must be underscored by all people.
It is now a year since we have been fighting against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Postal workers, and CUPW members in our private sector bargaining units, have displayed enormous courage and dedication, continuing to provide important services to the entire population. We can be proud of our actions.
In recent days, the number of workers testing positive for COVID-19 at the Gateway East facility in Mississauga has greatly increased. Public health authorities have ordered that all shift #3 employees are to self-isolate. These employees will receive paid quarantine leave. All shift #2 employees will have to be tested for COVID-19 or self-isolate for 14 days.
The number of people infected with COVID-19 is increasing across the country. In many communities, healthcare systems are overwhelmed, health care workers are at their breaking point, and available ICU beds in hospitals are in very short supply. While two vaccines have been approved by Health Canada, the rollout will take time and, and it may be months before postal workers have access to them. The threat to our health has never been greater, and it is imperative for all postal workers to follow COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Wear your mask properly, maintain physical distancing, wash and sanitize your hands, and if you feel sick, stay home.
This winter, we will still have to deal with periods of intense cold like in previous years, with the added challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the milder temperatures experienced to date in the southernmost parts of Canada, we have to be prepared for the extreme cold weather to come and the added complexity of working outdoors with personal protective equipment (PPE), which may increase the risk of frostbite if proper preventive measures are not followed. Take steps to protect yourself and encourage your co-workers to do the same.
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.
Eighteen (18) CUPW members, working at the Saskatoon Mail Processing Plant have tested positive for COVID-19. Several of the members are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms, while others are experiencing severe symptoms.
Last Sunday, November 22, at midnight, Canada Post announced a new policy to make face coverings mandatory for employees, contractors, visitors and customers in its facilities across the country. This requirement applies but is not limited to, plant floors, depots, retail outlets, docks and yards, and administrative sites. It also applies to Canada Post employees while working in other facilities, such as multi-unit residential buildings, stores, offices and their common areas, such as entrances, lobbies and hallways.
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.
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.
Today, May 23, is the first day of a nationwide overtime ban. As of 12:01 a.m. today, members were called on to refuse to work more than eight hours a day and more than 40 hours a week. This is a legal strike action and all CUPW members must follow this direction.
The National Executive Board has called for a nationwide overtime ban effective May 23 at 12:00 am local time. That means members are being called on to refuse to work any more than eight hours in a day and refuse to work more than forty hours in a week.
Today, May 21, our negotiation committees received global offers from Canada Post for both the Urban Postal Operation (UPO) and the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) bargaining units. The Negotiators are currently reviewing and analyzing the offers’ contents. We will provide a more in-depth analysis shortly, but here are some of the main elements of the offers below...
After walking away from the table for the third time, Canada Post will finally table their global offers today. Our negotiating committee is currently on the way to receive the proposals.
This year, CUPW is proud to celebrate the Pride season under the theme "Workers United Against Hate" proposed by the Canadian Labour Congress. As we face a shocking rise in anti-LGBTQ hate in Canada and around the world, this theme is more important than ever.
On Monday, May 19, CUPW issued a 72-hour strike notice to Canada Post. This action was not taken lightly, but it was done for several reasons.
The collective agreements for the Urban Postal Operations and the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers bargaining units, which were extended by the Government in December 2024, are set to expire Friday, May 23 at midnight.
Commissioner Kaplan’s report of the Industrial Inquiry Commission skews heavily in favour of Canada Post’s positions and recommendations. We fundamentally disagree with the bulk of its recommendations and challenge some of the information on which it was based. We have also objected to the entire process, but we felt that we had to participate in order to give voice to postal workers. The report also outlines three possible steps forward after May 22. It is important to note that this is not a done deal. It is up to Minister Patty Hajdu to decide what to do with the report – if anything at all.
May 18 is Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day. Every year, on this day, we remember the Tamil people who have died since 1948 because of the genocide committed against the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state, including the massacre in Mullivaikkal, Sri Lanka, in May 2009.
We received Commissioner Kaplan’s lengthy report today on bargaining between CUPW and Canada Post. It comes out of the Industrial Inquiry Commission convened by the former Minister of Labour, Steven MacKinnon, under section 108 of the Canada Labour Code.