Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have announced they will be returning to the negotiations table following union members rejecting the company’s “best and final offers.”
The dispute between company and union members has been ongoing for two years now, and has involved a strike in late 2024 and an overtime ban.
Canada Post has now announced that they and CUPW have met with federal mediators, who will aid in bringing both parties back into the bargaining process, this Friday, August 15th. Following this meeting, they will meet again on Monday, August 18th.
“We look forward to receiving a detailed and comprehensive response from CUPW that addresses the real, significant and increasing challenges faced by the postal service,” said Canada Post in a media release.
The company added that they are currently “facing an existential crisis.”
According to Canada Post, letter mail volumes are eroding and the company is facing a lot of competition in parcel delivery.
The company says that their priority is modernizing Canada Post in order to protect the services they offer. Canada Post says this need to modernize is urgent.
CUPW’s perspective
CUPW says that, although Canada Post says their need to modernize and come to an agreement is urgent, it was the company who delayed negotiations for two months by forcing union members to vote.
“Canada Post suggested its ‘best and final offers’ reflected the ‘objective findings’ of the Industrial Inquiry Commission,” said CUPW in a media release.
“But Canada Post failed to acknowledge that its offers just didn’t cut it: they were overwhelmingly rejected by members.”
It is the union’s position that discussions with Canada Post have been going nowhere while the negotiations happen solely on the terms of the company.
Canada Post wants negotiations to begin again by having the union respond to the “best and final offers” which were rejected by the majority of union members.
“The job now is to get ratifiable collective agreements,” said the union. “And the members have made clear that those do not look like what the Employer is selling.”
It is unclear at this time how negotiations will proceed following the two days the union and company will meet.
Key issues the union and company remain at odds about include wages, job security and minimum hours. CUPW is also advocating for medical days, disability payments and better rights for temporary workers.
