Possible postal strike postponed, talks continue
Posted May 29, 2011 06:08:43 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – While it has been business as usual at the Canada Post this week, things appear poised to change at any time.
A statement on the Canadian Union of Postal Workers website warns that “all members should be prepared to participate in strike action in the very near future.” Earlier Saturday, it was believed a strike might occur on June 1, but the Canadian Union of Postal Workers did not give a 72 hour strike notice as meetings wrapped up for the day.
Nearly 50,000 postal workers have been without a contract since January, and attempts to reach a new deal have so far had little progress.
Executives of the postal union are meeting with the bargaining committee this weekend to plan their next move, and although no strike or lockout has been declared, outward signs point toward exactly that.
While each side says it’s willing to return to the bargaining table, talks between the two sides appeared stalled Saturday. However, president of the CUPW Denis Lemelin told 680News there have been some last minute deals in previous negotiations.
“There’s always a discussion,” Lemelin said Friday afternoon. “We had a meeting this afternoon with Canada Post but it’s like a dynamic process, sometimes you feel you can go forward and sometimes – well it’s negotiation but there’s still discussion.”
The CUPW issued a statement Friday evening saying there was little progress in negotiations on issues such as staffing, workload and safety – the major concerns for the union.
“There is no indication that CPC (Canada Post Corp.) is prepared to seriously discuss the real problems facing postal workers,” the CUPW statement said. “For CPC management these negotiations are mainly about eliminating sick leave and imposing less pay and benefits on workers.”
According to labour laws, each side has to give 72 hours notice before beginning a strike or lockout.
Should a strike take place it would be the first postal strike in nearly 14 years.
