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.
And while Canada Post says it needs to act with urgency, the Corporation seems to forget that it was its side that delayed negotiations for 2 months by requesting a forced vote, and this after the Government paused our legal strike for 6 months.
Canada Post suggested its “best and final offers” reflected the “objective findings” of the Industrial Inquiry Commission. But Canada Post failed to acknowledge that its offers just didn’t cut it: they were overwhelmingly rejected by members.
Returning to the Table
Mr. Ettinger told us Canada Post was open to continued “discussions” with the help of federal mediators. He suggested the best way to restart bargaining would be for the Union to respond to Canada Post’s “best and final” offers from May 28.
But we have had enough “discussions” that go nowhere. The job now is to get ratifiable collective agreements. And the members have made clear that those do not look like what the Employer is selling.
Yesterday, August 12, both parties met with the federal mediators. We have agreed to meet with Canada Post on Friday, August 15 and Monday, August 18.
In the meantime, the Employer needs to stop sending customers away, offering steep discounts for Purolator, and attacking services – the latest is not putting the flag up on rural mailboxes.
It’s time for Canada Post to get serious and negotiate now!
Our national overtime ban remains in effect.
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In solidarity,