Special mediator appointed to meet with CUPW and Canada Post
AUGUST 25, 2016 – UPDATED AUGUST 26, 2016
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has issued a 72-hour notice of job action hours before its current strike mandate expires at midnight eastern time on Thursday. If Canada Post and CUPW do not arrive at an agreement by Monday, mail and parcel delivery will be disrupted across Canada.
On Wednesday, federal Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk offered to appoint a special mediator to help the two sides negotiate a new collective agreement for 51,000 urban and rural postal workers. It is not clear whether either side will accept a mediator.
CUPW has yet to specify the nature of the job action to be taken. In 2011, the union held rotating strikes until Canada Post imposed a lockout. The federal government then passed back-to-work legislation which later deemed unconstitutional.
This is a developing story. More to come.
UPDATE:
Federal Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk has appointed lawyer and author William Kaplan as special mediator in an effort to end the months-long impasse in negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).
The two sides were scheduled to meet with Kaplan today in hopes of averting job action by over 50,000 urban and rural postal workers.
CUPW has stated that if the job action occurs, it will not be a full work stoppage, but rather, strikes rotating by province and territory.
The job action will have a particular impact on newspapers and other small businesses that rely on Canada Post for delivery of products as well as bills and other correspondence. Newspapers Canada is monitoring the situation closely and will inform members of any progress in the negotiations, or work disruptions, as soon as the information becomes available.
For the latest news, visit the Canada Post section of the Newspapers Canada website at https://nmc-mic.ca/canadapost, or any of the following:
- Canada Post – Announcements
- Canada Post – Negotiations Updates
- Canadian Union of Postal Workers – Urban and RSMC Negotiations
If you have any questions or require assistance, contact your Canada Post account representative or:
- Canada Post – Commercial Service Network: Toll-free 1-866-757-5480
- Newspapers Canada:
John Hinds, Chief Executive Officer, jhinds@newspaperscanada.ca
Tina Ongkeko, Managing Director, Member Services, tongkeko@newspaperscanada.ca
