Legislated Arbitration Begins

Tuesday January 15 2019

The arbitration process, imposed on us in the back to work legislation, officially begins on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. Your negotiating committee and our legal counsel, along with Canada Post representatives, will meet with Arbitrator Elizabeth MacPherson to discuss the issues in dispute and the arbitration process.

The first date of arbitration will be used to determine which issues are still in dispute and must be resolved by the arbitrator. The legislation passed by the Government stated that the Minister of Labour would determine the issues in dispute. The Minister chose not to do this and has given the arbitrator the authority to make this determination.

The next step in the proceeding is to determine the arbitration process. The legislation provides two types of arbitration processes, a conventional interest arbitration and a Final Offer Selection. The Union wants to ensure that we protect our right to present our issues in dispute as we see necessary.

The Union will participate in the arbitration on a “without prejudice” basis subject to any challenges or court rulings on the back to work legislation. This legislation took away our Constitutional right to strike and right to fair collective bargaining. We will continue to fight to protect our rights.

Communications

Stay informed, watch your bulletin boards, email, follow CUPW on twitter at @cupw, at https://www.facebook.com/cupwsttp/ and sign up for CUPW’s e-Digest at https://www.cupw.ca/en/cupw-edigest.