Negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) resumed this week with the union presenting a new set of proposals, but key differences remain on wages and the use of part-time workers.
CUPW’s latest offer, presented Wednesday, calls for annual wage increases of nine per cent in the first year of a new agreement, followed by four per cent in the second year and three per cent in each of the third and fourth years. In total, the union is seeking nearly 19 per cent in increases over four years, compared to the roughly 13 per cent contained in Canada Post’s “final offers” from late May.
After nearly two weeks of voting, members of CUPW rejected those May offers for both its Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units, further prolonging a labour dispute that began more than a year ago. The vote results, released Aug. 1, showed that 69.4 per cent of RSMC members and 68.5 per cent of Urban members voted against the proposals. The outcome was formally communicated to Canada Post by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), which administered the vote.
The union’s new proposals also include provisions for weekend parcel delivery, pickup, and mail sorting, supported by a new corps of part-time workers. Part-time staff would be capped at 20 hours per week and could not outnumber full-time employees on any given shift. Expanding the part-time workforce has been a major sticking point in negotiations that have now stretched for more than a year and a half. CUPW is also seeking cost-of-living adjustments, triggered if inflation surpasses 10.33 per cent in a given quarter, compared with the seven per cent threshold in Canada Post’s May offer.
Canada Post confirmed it has received the union’s latest offer and is reviewing the details with the help of federal mediators. Additional meetings are scheduled for Friday and Monday. The Crown corporation said it “remains committed to reaching new collective agreements through the bargaining process.”
The current round of talks follows last fall’s national strike by postal workers, which brought widespread mail disruptions and had a devastating impact on Canadian businesses, particularly during the peak shipping season. Since then, both sides have been under pressure to avoid another breakdown that could once again paralyze delivery across the country.
Canada Post has warned that ongoing uncertainty is costing the postal service millions of dollars in business daily. Earlier this year, an Industrial Inquiry Commission led by Commissioner William Kaplan concluded the corporation was effectively bankrupt and required substantial reforms to remain viable.
With the busy fall and holiday seasons approaching, businesses and collectors remain concerned about possible service disruptions. For stamp and coin hobbyists – who rely on steady mail delivery for auctions, dealer shipments, subscriptions, and correspondence – the outcome of these negotiations could have direct consequences.