As Canada Post workers begin their second day of legal strike action by refusing to work overtime, the Crown corporation says it is ready to negotiate this weekend but is waiting on word from the union.
“We have not yet heard from CUPW about joining us at the table with the mediator this weekend,” said Lisa Liu, a Canada Post spokesperson. “We remain ready to receive a response to our global offers.”
A source within the federal government confirmed on Saturday morning that both sides are expected to meet in the Ottawa area Saturday and Sunday but could not elaborate on the timing.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) did not provide a new comment when reached Saturday morning, but re-shared Friday’s statement, saying it remains “unwavering in our determination to reach negotiated and ratifiable agreements” for its rural and suburban mail carriers as well as members of its urban postal operations.
“Canada Post rejected our proposal for a two-week truce so the union could carefully evaluate and reply to the detailed, legal wording of the over 700-page offers they sent the day before the deadline,” CUPW’s statement said.
“We鈥檙e ready to go back to the bargaining table to get the agreements our postal workers and communities deserve.”
Canada Post said parcel volumes have dropped by 50 per cent since the union issued a 72-hour strike notice last Monday.
The union鈥檚 decision to not have its members walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. Friday, and the Crown corporation鈥檚 decision to not lock its workers out is also a good sign, said Stephanie Ross, a labour studies professor at McMaster University.
On Friday morning, federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu posted on X that CUPW and the Crown corporation should use a report delivered by veteran mediator William Kaplan to reach a negotiated settlement.
OTTAWA - The union representing about 55,000 Canada Post employees has called for a countryw…
In December, Kaplan was appointed to run the commission by then-federal labour minister Steven MacKinnon.
He was given a dual mandate, both to chart a path for Canada Post鈥檚 future structure and mandate, and to suggest the foundations of a potential new contract agreement.
Kaplan鈥檚 report said Canada Post was effectively insolvent and suggested the use of community mailboxes, the elimination of home delivery except for parcels, and getting rid of some post office locations and replacing them with franchises.
Kaplan also suggested expanding parcel delivery to seven days a week, with the use of part-time and temporary employees.
Kaplan delivered the official report from his Industrial Inquiry Commission to the federal government, including Hajdu, last week.
The Crown corporation’s four-year contract offer includes the creation of new, part-time and temporary carrier job categories to help Canada Post extend parcel delivery to weekends, as well as the use of 鈥渄ynamic routing鈥 at 10 mail-sorting facilities. Dynamic routing means carriers could see their routes shift daily to accommodate changes in volume.
Canada Post said the offer also includes total wage increases of 13 per cent for existing employees, with a six per cent increase in the first year, followed by increases of three, two and two per cent.
With files from Josh Rubin听
Diana Zlomislic is a senior staff reporter with the 海角社区官网Star who covers consumer affairs. You can reach her by email at听dzlo@thestar.ca
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