Canada Post presented new global offers to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Wednesday, which it says include further movement on wage increases and protection of employee benefits and entitlements.
On Tuesday, Brent Currie, president of CUPW Local 840, told Coast Reporter the union was expecting to see an offer May 21.
“So, there is still time to negotiate a settlement and avoid a strike,” said Currie. “This is always our main focus.”
Canada Post paused contract negotiations last week and in response the union representing more than 55,000 postal workers, gave strike notice for Friday, May 23. Last November, postal workers went on strike for more than six weeks, heavily affecting the busy holiday season.
“Our negotiating committee is currently on the way to receive the proposals,” said Jan Simpson, CUPW’s national president in a news release on Wednesday. “Once the offers are officially presented, we will take the time to carefully review the details of the offers to ensure they align with the priorities and needs of our members. We will provide a comprehensive update once we’ve completed our review and analysis.”
In a news release Wednesday, Canada Post said it presented the new global offers, “demonstrating a commitment to reach agreements and maintain continuity of postal services for Canadians.”
According to the release, the new offers for the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units, go further on wage increases and would protect employees’ benefits and entitlements. It notes, the offers also reflect the corporation’s current realities: “Canada Post has proposed important changes to its delivery model to increase its flexibility and help address the corporation’s significant financial and operational challenges.”
The release says Canada Post and CUPW are “negotiating at a critical moment for the postal system. Since 2018, the corporation has recorded more than $3 billion in losses before tax and it will post another significant loss for 2024. In early 2025, the Government of Canada announced repayable funding of up to $1.034 billion for Canada Post to prevent insolvency.”
Coast Reporter will update this story and any news of a strike as negotiations unfold.
