CUPW negotiations: Canadian Union of Postal Workers requests conciliators in filing notices of dispute with the Minister of Labour

August 2, 2024, 06:46 pm

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have been officially negotiating since November 2023 to reach new collective agreements. Today, CUPW filed notices of dispute with the federal Minister of Labour, asking for conciliators to help the parties reach new collective agreements.

While this official step represents an impasse in negotiations, it provides an extended timeline for the parties to continue negotiating with the help of a neutral conciliator. Under the Canada Labour Code, a labour disruption cannot happen for at least three months, as explained below.

No labour disruption can occur during conciliation

A notice of dispute is normally followed by a conciliation period, where a neutral conciliator works with the parties to try to reach an agreement. The process for requesting conciliation assistance through the Minister of Labour is established by the Canada Labour Code.

Once a notice of dispute is filed:

• The Minister is required to appoint a conciliator within 15 days.
• Once the conciliator is appointed, the parties enter into a conciliation period which typically lasts at least 60 days, and can be extended if the parties agree.
• After the conciliation period, if there is still no agreement, a 21-day cooling-off period follows.
• Only after the cooling-off period would either party be in a position to initiate a labour disruption (72-hour advance notice must first be given).
• Negotiations can continue throughout this entire process.

We remain committed to working collaboratively with CUPW, with the goal of reaching negotiated agreements and avoiding any labour disruption.

Operations continue as usual

Canada Post’s two collective agreements with CUPW expired on December 31, 2023 (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) and January 31, 2024 (Urban Postal Operations). The existing collective agreements continue to apply for CUPW-represented employees.

Operations continue as usual during the conciliation process.

Keeping you informed

Throughout this process, we’re committed to supporting you and will keep you informed in two main ways:

1. Mailings to your home: Look for mailings to your home, which will tell you about any important developments.
2. Negotiations Hub: Check the Negotiations Hub website for important news and information.

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