CUPW proposes Canada Post 30-day cooling off period to halt lockout

By Nelson Daily Staff

National president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Mike Palecek, who was in Nelson last summer for a rally, said the union is prepared to engage in “intensive negotiations” with Canada Post during the cooling-off period. — The Nelson Daily photo

The union representing postal workers across the country is proposing a 30-day cooling off period to Canada Post management to address concerns about “uncertainty” in the mail system and give negotiations a chance to succeed.

“Our members, their families and all Canadians do not deserve to have this threat of a lockout ‘looming’ over our heads from a profitable public service,” Mike Palecek, national president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers said in a media release Friday on the CUPW website.

"Postal workers want to work and people need to know that it’s safe to use the mail system."

Palecek said the union is prepared to engage in “intensive negotiations” with Canada Post during the cooling-off period, which would include an extension of the terms and conditions of 50,000 workers’ current contracts.

The union is trying to stave off the demands for cuts. As recently as Thursday, the union and Canada Post appeared to be miles apart on several major issues following seven months of negotiations.

Some of those issues include expanding services, working hours and salaries and wage inequities between rural and urban mail carriers.

However, the biggest hurdle is the future of the company pension plan.

Canada Post is offering to keep the status quo for existing plan members, but wants to switch the company's pension plan from a defined benefit plan, to a defined contribution one.

The defined benefit pension plan offers plan members a steady monthly cheque every month while the defined contribution plan puts all the risk on plan members.

As a sign of good faith, it has offered to drop an unfair labour practices complaint filed against Canada Post if management agrees to the union’s proposal.

“Instead of negotiating with us fairly, this profitable crown corporation has been busy scaring businesses and the public off with threats of labour strife,” said Palecek.

“They need to give that a rest and get back to the table with us.”