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Canada Post lockout averted for now

July 14, 2016   ·   0 Comments

Although looming threats of a Canada Post lockout have had Canadian businesses and individuals scrambling for alternatives for letters and packages, news broke early Monday morning that, for now at least, we don’t have to worry.

On Friday, Canadian postal workers proposed a 30-day cooling off period to the Crown Corporations management, suggesting it would provide the opportunity to address uncertainty within the mail system, as well as provide a chance for negotiations to succeed.

“Our members, their families, and all Canadians do not deserve to have this threat of a lockout ‘looming’ over our heads from a profitable public service,” said Mike Palecek, National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).

According to the union, they are prepared to enter into intensive negotiations with Canada Post during the cooling off period. The request also addressed the postal workers current contracts, which they asked to have extended through the negotiations over the next month.

CUPW claims Canada Post is demanding concessions from their workers, having barely budged throughout the past few months of negotiation. They added, it was Canada Post who filed the lockout notice, and did so just one week after making its first offer.

“Instead of negotiating with us fairly, this profitable crown corporation has been busy scaring businesses and the public off with threats of labour strife,” said Mr. Palecek. “They need to give that a rest and get back to the table with us.”

Canada Post responded later that day, saying that they feel what their employees and customers need is long-term certainty in the postal system, adding that they would comply to the request.

“We are fully prepared to negotiate intensively for the next 30 days under an extended ‘cooling off period’ to reach negotiated settlements,” said the Crown Corporation. “However, if the parties are unable to successfully conclude negotiations within that period, both parties must agree to binding arbitration.”

On Sunday, Canada Post withdrew its 72-hour lockout notice, and posted a statement online regarding the now to-be-continued negotiations. “We are also expecting the union to honour their repeated public statements that they have no plans to issue a strike notice,” said Canada Post. “Assurance from both parties that the postal system will remain open for business while we negotiate will provide the certainty that Canadians and our employees are looking for.”

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