The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has issued a strike notice to Canada Post and could commence job action as early as next week.
According to a CUPW release on October 16th, the union states that job action will be taken if an agreement can’t be reached for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units.
If job action is taken, rotating strikes will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, October 22, but locations have not been determined yet.
“Our members gave us a clear mandate to take job action if Canada Post refused to address our major issues – health and safety, gender equality and preserving full-time, middle class jobs,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President.
“Our goal is still negotiated settlements with no postal disruption. This week is Canada Post’s chance to make that happen.”
The following are the main demands for postal workers:
- Job security
- End to forced overtime and overburdening
- Better health and safety measures
- Service expansion
- Equality for RSMCs
The union alleges that working conditions have deteriorated over the last decade in part due to Canada Post’s failure to address “the massive increase in parcel volumes and the burden it has placed on members.”
The release also argues that workplace injuries for postal workers have increased by 43% over the last two years.
The CUPW began looking into the possibility of issuing a strike notice back in September. The last time the union conducted a lockout was in 2011.
