2019/05/16
On May 9, 2019, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour extended the arbitration process to the end of the year at the request of the arbitrator.
Arbitrator Elizabeth MacPherson now has until December 31, 2019 to reach two new collective agreements between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).
The two parties have been in arbitration since January of this year. The Union is currently presenting its case to the arbitrator, and Canada Post will follow.
The arbitrator’s request for an extension demonstrates the complexity of the matters being examined. We believe this process will bring us to a resolution on some long-standing issues and provide certainty for our customers and employees.
In a letter to the Minister dated April 29, 2019, the arbitrator confirmed her goal is to finish hearing evidence and arguments by the end of October. She expects to write her decisions in November and provide final, translated versions in December of this year. Her decision will impose a binding settlement that forms the basis of new collective agreements for CUPW-Urban and CUPW-RSMC. In the meantime, the previous collective agreements still apply.
We understand this has been a difficult process and that you would like it resolved as quickly as possible. To keep you informed, we intend to start providing updates more frequently through your team leader and the Negotiations Hub.
Thank you for your continued patience and commitment to customers during this critical time.
