Urban Global Offer – Rollbacks and Trojan Horses!

Friday September 7 2018 Your negotiating committee has now had and opportunity to review and analyse the global offers that we received from Canada Post on September 7 in the afternoon. There are many key issues missing and unacceptable proposals from Canada Post. In fact, this global offer is full of rollbacks and Trojan Horses!

Duration

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

Wages

CPC proposes a 1.5% wage increase for each year of the collective agreement, starting February 1, 2018. <

Extended Health Care Plan

Physiotherapy – if any employee exceeds $5000 per year there must be a medical report reviewed and agreed to by third-party medical provider.

Life Insurance and Death Benefit

Maintain basic life insurance and Canada Post death benefit for retirees.

Vacation Leave

Eliminate the 7^th week of vacation leave for future new regular employees and more years required to gain additional weeks.

Pre-Retirement Leave

No pre-retirement leave for future new regular employees.

Access to Information and Workload of Letter Carriers

We achieved access to information plus there is a pilot project on the future of delivery but CPC has done nothing to address the overburdening of letter carriers in the short term.

Peak Season

The right to use additional temporary employees during the period of November to January. These temporary employees would be utilized as acting part-time relief letter carriers and would be assigned work prior to full-time and part-time letter carriers getting voluntary overtime.

Service Expansion – Appendix “T”

CPC is proposing a selected set of new financial services. No commitment on what these services might be or when they could be implemented.

Environmental Services,

CPC proposed to work together with the Union to develop environmental strategies and a review of all aspects including fleet, buildings, products and services. No firm commitments on frequency of meetings with the Union nor commitment on reaching objectives.

Diversity and Employment Equity Committee

CPC proposes to work with the Union to focus on increasing the representation from the “designated groups”.

Footwear

CPC is proposing that the parties promote the use of slip resistant footwear. The Corporation would be able to offer incentives. There would be no obligation to participate.

Job Security – Trojan Horses

For the duration of the collective agreement, CPC proposes job security for all employees who would not be regular employees at the date of signing. This is not secured in the collective agreement. There is a catch to this proposal. CPC wants the ability to hold Group 2 vacant positions in specific circumstances; when CPC knows there will be a reduction in positions or when they anticipate having surplus employees. There is no limit as to how long they could hold these vacancies and use temporary employees to cover these positions.

Group 1 (Internal) Staffing – Appendix P

CPC stated that their proposal on Group 1 staffing is a package deal. This includes changes to the Appendix “P” ratio, sharing of information and the use of full-time and part-time flex positions. The Corporation’s proposal, although very complex, would give CPC more flexibility with no firm commitment to create any full-time positions. The Corporation’s proposal would be a rollback from the current language and a rollback from what was being discussed at the bargaining table.

Temporary Employees Availability

The Corporation is proposing a pilot to test a model of employee declared availability for Group 1 and Group 2. The employees must be available at least three days per week which must include either a Monday or a Friday.

Groups 3 & 4 – Urban

CPC is proposing a study to review the classifications and job descriptions in Group 3 and 4. What would apply immediately is being on call/standby for both Groups and the elimination of Lead Hand premiums for all classifications with the exception of the VHE and STS classifications. On a Union demand, the Corporation submits the creation of a VHE-10 Full Service Vehicle Mechanic including protection for the current holders of VHE-9 positions. The protection for VHE-9 is uncertain. CPC stated that the new classification is subject to the Union accepting the other proposals on Group 3 and 4.

Dental Plan

Dental fee guide will be updated on January 1 of each year with a one year lag.

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.

Evening and Weekend Delivery,

The Corporation wants the ability, with agreement of the parties, to amend the provisions of Appendix “JJ”, however, the current language allows for this.

Neighbourhood Mail (NM)

The Corporation refuses to amend the language of Appendix “D-2” to guarantee that the end of day collation of NM includes centralized points of delivery. CPC instead, wants a letter that will not be included in the collective agreement.

Appendix “C”

Deletion of multiple agreements on issues, including equal opportunity for overtime and all agreements related to the implementation of Postal Transformation.

Post-retirement Benefit In Case of Disability

CPC has proposed to address issues relating to members of pensionable age who retire due to a disability and don’t have 15 years of service whom don’t have access to post-retirement benefits. The proposal from CPC does not appear to address all of the concerns of those eligible for unreduced pensions.

Now What?

Your negotiating committee is now meeting to determine the next step to respond to CPC’s global offer. It is time that Canada Post addresses the real issues faced by our members.