Thursday November 15 2018
Some Movement, but Major Issues Remain Unaddressed !
For Immediate Release
Ottawa – Yesterday evening, Canada Post presented the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) with what it calls “time-limited” offers for both the Urban Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier (RSMC) units to put an end to strike activities and bring resolution to negotiations.
“These offers are a step in the right direction, however, both the Urban and RSMC offers do not seriously address the major issues of our members – health and safety, equality and creating more full time jobs and less precarious work,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “These offers simply aren’t good enough, but we remain at the bargaining table and will continue to negotiate with Canada Post.”
Canada Post is facing a serious injury crisis as its employees are the most injured group of all federal workers, with an injury rate 5.4 times higher than the average of the federal sector. The Corporation proposed a combined fund for both units of $10 million to help them become a “model organization in safety,” but Canada Post already has an obligation under the Canada Labour Code to provide health and safety for its employees.
“Canada Post wants to send our health and safety issues to a committee. We all know what that means. It means they will do nothing. We already have joint health and safety committees and management hasn’t addressed these issues there, so why would this be any different?” says Palecek. “We already know that the root cause of the high injury is the changes in the work process imposed by Canada Post over the last 10 years, and we have presented real solutions, which Canada Post does not address in their offers.”
While negotiations continue, so do rotating strikes. Members working out of the Montreal local in Quebec and the Fundy local in New Brunswick, went on strike last night. Members from the Amherstburg, Milton, Sarnia, and Strathroy locals in Ontario, those working out of the Winnipeg plant, members working at the 280 Progress facility and Scarborough Depot 11 (both part of the Scarborough local), and members of the Victoria local in British Columbia, walked off the job today.
“We understand that our customers are frustrated; we are also frustrated. Postal workers are hardworking, caring people who take great pride in serving the public. But we cannot go back to work at the busiest time of the year without fixing the issues that keep us injured and overworked,” says Palecek.