OTTAWA – As the Canada Post strike continues in its fourth week, the crown corporation and its 55,000 unionize mail carriers remain far apart on any potential contract settlement.
In a December 9 update to its union members, national President Jan Simpson said its negotiating team met with Canada Post officials to present a revised proposal.
On wages, the union offered a wage increase of 19 per cent (20.26 per cent compounded) over the term of the four-year deal, Cost of Living Allowance, 10 medical days plus seven personal days, an increase in short term disability payments to 80 per cent, and improved rights for temporary workers.
The most recent offer from Canada Post was not released publicly. The last wage increase offered in talks earlier in November was 11.5 per cent (11.97 per cent compounded) over the proposed four year deal.
Canada Post reiterated its financial position again December 9, saying that the company posted $3 Billion in losses since 2018. The company called the union’s latest offer “a major step backwards.”
“With financial pressures mounting and now accelerating with CUPW’s ongoing strike, our long-standing role as a vital, publicly owned national infrastructure for Canadians and Canadian businesses is under significant threat,” the company said in a release.
In its own statement to media, the union said they have waited too long for the post office to negotiate in good faith.
“None of us want to be on the picket line, but we cannot continue with management steamrolling workers with random ideas they have to change work rules and impact our safety,” said Simpson. “We call on Canada Post to seriously consider our proposals and recognize that they reflect the value of its workforce.”
In addition to wages, one of the largest stumbling blocks for negotiators is the demand of the union to not allow temporary workers and third-party contractors to operate an expanded weekend coverage plan with weekend deliveries.
Labour minister Steven MacKinnon has repeatedly rejected calls for back-to-work legislation to end the strike.
The labour disruption began right at the busiest point in the year, the Christmas shopping season.
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the strike costs Canadian businesses $76 million per day as it continues. Since November 15, that accounts for $1.4 billion in lost sales.