Canada Post denies workers request for two-week extension in negotiations

By News staff and The Canadian Press

Canada Post has denied the union’s request for a two-week extension to give more time for contract negotiations, The Canadian Press reports.

On Tuesday, postal workers asked the Crown corporation for a two-week extension on the “cooling-off” period in negotiations, over fears the company will terminate its collective agreement this weekend.

About 50,000 Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) can legally go on strike or be locked out as of Saturday, if an agreement isn’t reached between the Crown corporation and the union.

However, the union wants to continue with negotiations.

“We are asking management to give us a chance, to give the public review a chance, to keep sitting down with us at the bargaining table, and give the workers a chance to get a fair deal,” Mike Palecek, national president of the CUPW, said in a statement.

Canada Post is looking for changes to benefits for new employees, and the ability to hire part-time or temporary staff instead of paying double-time to weekend workers.

Meanwhile, CUPW is looking to tackle pay equity issues in which rural mail carriers make as much as 28 per cent less than their urban counterparts. Palecek said Canada Post recorded a $44-million profit in the first quarter of 2016.


Related stories:

Businesses warn customers about possible Canada Post labour disruption

Work stoppage next week could prove fatal to Canada Post


Employees have been without a contract since the end of January.

The corporation said it tabled new contracts last Saturday, but have yet to hear a response from the workers’ union.

Canada Post delivers approximately nine-billion letters, parcels and flyers a year, serving nearly 15-million residential and one-million business addresses.

Meanwhile, businesses are warning their customers about the possibility of a strike or lockout. A number of companies including TD Bank, Virgin Mobile and American Express have told their customers not to expect statements in the mail in the event of a labour disruption.

“We’re seeing the impact that the uncertainty is causing in our facilities,” said Jon Hamilton, a spokesman for the postal service. “The amount of mail, the amount of advertising mail, the number of parcels are already declining.”

Hamilton said a work stoppage will result in lost business in an industry that it is already feeling the squeeze from other delivery services and the growth of online payments.

“We understand our customers have businesses to run, and we’ve been trying to give them as much advance notice as one could,” he said.

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