Postal workers are waiting to see what Canada Post will do on July 2, after finding out on June 29 that their request for two more weeks to bargain was denied by the employer.
As of July 2, the current contract between urban and rural postal workers and Canada Post will be null and void because the parties have not been able to sign a new contract despite six months of bargaining.
This is the first time the urban and rural postal workers, both covered by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), have gone to the bargaining table together seeking a unified contract for all employees.
Local 840 CUPW president Charlene Penner said the inequity between rates of pay for urban and rural workers is a major sticking point for the CUPW.
“It’s about equality between the urban and the rural,” Penner said, noting rural workers have always been paid less than their urban counterparts despite both groups of employees essentially doing the same work since the addition of community mailboxes in urban centres.
“They drive around and put mail in the boxes and deliver packages door to door. That’s what we do, it’s exactly the same work, but Canada Post does not want to pay us the same.”
While the CUPW alleges Canada Post is making profits despite the downturn in the amount of mail being sent by Canadians, Canada Post has said it’s losing revenue and needs to find ways to save money.
A June 25 offer by the employer would have seen no change to the pension plans of employees, a “new, competitive compensation package” for new hires and the establishment of some temporary and part-time jobs to help deliver parcels on weekends and evenings, which would negate the need to pay overtime for the service.
“Our current approach of providing this service while paying double-time is not financially sustainable,” Canada Post said in a press release.
With the two sides at an impasse and the July 2 date looming, Penner said workers are on edge, not sure what will happen.
“I feel like they are wanting to lock us out to try to drive us apart. Maybe they’re going to lock out one part [rural workers] but not the other one [urban workers]. Then the other one is going to have to go on strike to support them,” Penner said.
“I’m guessing, because we don’t really know what their big plan is. If we knew, we’d be ahead of the game.”
If Canada Post locks out its employees on July 2 or if employees strike, there will be no mail service and Canada Post will not operate until the sides can come back together and hammer out an agreement.
“Any mail and parcels within the postal system during a work disruption will be secured and delivered as quickly as possible once operations resume,” a press release from Canada Post noted.
Penner said there are 20 mail carriers on the Sunshine Coast covered by CUPW while workers inside individual post offices on the Coast are members of the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association. Those workers will be expected to honour any picket lines that are set up.
Residents who need to send mail during any service disruption can contact Sprinter Delivery, Purolator or Loomis, all of which serve the Sunshine Coast.
