Possible Canada Post strike looms

Melissa Strle
Times Reporter

 

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) are under pressure to resolve negotiation talks that have been going on for almost a year, as the threat of a possible postal strike looms for Canadians and the citizens of Strathmore.
The union’s workers voted to have a strike mandate that legally allows them to strike for up to 60 days, ending Aug. 25.
Suzie Moore is the health and safety officer and 1st vice president for CUPW local 710, which covers Calgary, Strathmore and the surrounding rural area. She stated the potential for a strike is real.
“It eventually would end up affecting all services because there would be no mail coming to Strathmore at all,” she said.
Moore said if the mandate vote expires on Aug. 25, the union will have three options available: it will ask for another mandate vote; ask for an extension on the original mandate vote; or induce a labour disruption of some kind, such as a strike.
The union would prefer to come to an agreement with Canada Post.
“The last thing we want to do is cut services,” said Moore.
Spokesperson Jon Hamilton with Canada Post said there is no backup in Canada to deliver mail in the event of a strike. However, Canada Post employees would be able to volunteer to deliver federal socio-economic cheques once per month.
Both parties have been working hard to come to an agreement.
“We’re at the table, we’re working through the weekend, we’re prepared to negotiate around the clock,” said Hamilton. “We want a deal that is fair to our employees and allows us to provide important services to Canadians.”
There are two separate collective agreements up for discussion in the CUPW, representing both rural and urban members, and the union is looking to have both agreements accepted. Rural Suburban Mail Couriers (RSMC) delivers in Strathmore and the outskirts of Calgary. The Strathmore Canada Post office contains both RSMC and Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) members. The CPAA members include mail sorters and the head postmistress, and these members had an agreement settled by an arbitrator a few weeks ago.
The people who work in the back and deliver the mail are CUPW workers and these are the workers that are affected in the event of a strike.
Moore said there are three main issues that CUPW has identified. First, it is looking for pay equity among workers. Second, it does not want Canada Post to make changes to pension plans. Third, CUPW would like to see Canada Post expand services.
Moore cited ideas such as postal banking which involves placing a bank within post offices, especially in rural centres which may not have easy access. Other ideas for expanded services include passport photos, diversifying into becoming an Internet service provider and adopting a more sustainable approach with current gas powered fleet vehicles.
“There are so many options for them to be able to do that would create more money,” said Moore.
The last postal strike occurred in 2011. The union conducted 10 days of rotation strikes and workers were eventually legislated back to work by an arbitrator. Mail delivery in Canada was significantly impacted.
As of the Strathmore Times press time, no agreement had been reached.