Wednesday November 14 2018

Your negotiating committee has now had an opportunity to review and analyze the new RSMC global offer that we received from Canada Post on November 14, 2018 in the afternoon. Canada Post says this latest offer will expire at 11:59 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

Canada Post has made some movements towards addressing our key priorities, however, we have a long way to go to achieve a negotiated collective agreement.

There are many key issues missing, in addition to unacceptable proposals from Canada Post.

Key Issues:

Job security – CPC proposes limited job security! (see below)
Paid for all hours worked – CPC still says, NO!
Guaranteed minimum hours – CPC still says NO!
Hours worked up to 8 hour per day to be pensionable – CPC still says NO!

Here is what is in CPC’s new global offer:

Duration

Canada Post is proposing a four-year collective agreement starting January 1, 2018.

Wages

Offering a 2.0% increase in activity values for each year of the collective agreement.

A non-pensionable lump sum paid, at signing, to employees actively at work:

$1000 for route holders with 30 or more RMS hours
$500 for permanent relief employees and route holders with less than 30 RMS hours
$250 for On Call Relief Employees

Includes a Cost of Living Allowance protection that triggers at 8% over the last 3 years of the collective agreement.

Parcel only delivery on weekends to be paid at $2.00 per parcel plus drive time and vehicle allowance. PCIs delivered on weekends will not be counted on log sheets and will not be pensionable.

Pay For Some Hours Worked, Maybe!

No payment for the hours worked in excess of the RMS hours up to 40 hours per week. This means if your route is 30 RMS hours per week and you work 39 hours, you will not receive any additional compensation. If you work 41 hours, you may get paid for one hour of overtime. You may be paid for overtime for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours worked per week, based on the following conditions:

CPC must find technology that will be capable of verifying the hours worked. If technology does not work, then no overtime will be paid.
Based on an average over 2 weeks.
CPC will review after 12 months and may terminate this process.

Job Security

Canada Post is proposing limited job security for route holders only.

Permanent Relief Employees (PRE) – No Job Security!
Employees with less than 10 years of continuous service as a route holder or a PRE– No Job Security!
Less than 12 hours per week – No Job Security!

For those eligible for job security, Canada Post may assign you to a vacant position within a 75 km radius from your installation. While surplus, you can be assigned to daily assignments within a 50 km radius of your installation. You may be laid off after 1 year being declared surplus. The majority of RSMCs will still have no job security.

Short Term Disability Plan (STDP)

No improvements to the STDP.

Measuring Work Content

CPC proposes a joint committee to study all aspects of the route management system (RMS), work content and appropriate pay methods. This study will continue for the life of the collective agreement.

Restructures and Pay Protection

CPC maintains the right to not be forced to restructure routes up to 8 hours per day. CPC proposed “to maximize the number of routes to an average of 40 hours per week over a 2 week period when restructuring routes in larger postal installations.” No guarantee that they will not continue to restructure routes to 6 or 6.5 hours.

If during a restructure, Canada Post reduces the value of your route, you will continue to be paid the amount of your previous route for 3 months following the implementation of the restructure.

Health and Safety

CPC proposes a combined fund for both units of $10 million to help them become “a model organization in safety.” CPC already has an obligation under the Canada Labour Code to provide health and safety for its employees.

Pension Plan

CPC did not propose any changes to the pension plan during the life of the collective agreement. They are, however, proposing to review and “find solutions” to the sustainability of our pension plan, short, medium and long-term, based on a study that CPC sponsored.

Uniforms

CPC proposes to give RSMCs the same uniform entitlement as letter carriers, including the same point allotment.

Absence Coverage

Permanent Relief Employees (PRE) in offices with 12 or more routes (is currently 14), effective January 1, 2020. No other proposals to provide additional absence coverage. CPC still expects RSMCs to find their own replacements.

Now What?

The National Executive Board will be meeting today to determine the next steps. Several important issues have not been addressed. There has been some movement on a few issues, but we have a long way to go. Obviously this does not constitute a basis for settlement.