CUPW negotiations: Mediators appointed
October 16, 2024, 08:18 pm
90 comments
Yesterday, the federal government appointed mediators to assist Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) as the parties continue to negotiate new collective agreements for both the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units.
The mediators will assist the parties in the negotiations and support discussions toward reaching negotiated agreements.
Process under the Canada Labour Code
The parties continue to negotiate during a 21-day cooling-off period that ends on November 2. Only after the cooling-off period ends would either party be in a position to initiate a labour disruption (following a minimum notice of 72 hours). This timeline means no labour disruption can occur before November 3.
Our goal throughout this round of negotiations with CUPW is to reach negotiated agreements, without any labour disruption.
More information
Watch for further updates on the Negotiations Hub or in mailings to your home. On the Negotiations Hub you can also sign up for email updates, directly to your inbox.
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In order to change unions you need 30% of the vote. And nobody knows the process.
A strike or lockout will ruin the company for next 2-3 years. It is crazy to me that CUPW can even consider labour disruption in the current situation. At this rate, there will be no need for all the delivery agents as there will be no volume to deliver. Other carriers are pouncing all over our commercial customers right now.
Strike votes are in at about 96% in favor. Hopefully, now knowing that result, the company can make a counter offer that is more in the realm of reality.
Within 72 hours canada post will counter offer. Then the union will issue 72 hour strike notice a few days after.
this would have some validity if you actually had a solid voting turnout. They never talk about that number do they? What percentage of 55,000 people bothered to show up? Probably 10%. Hopefully more, but not likely
You’re exactly right. The majority of members are disgusted with the union and their unrealistic demands. So therefore they don’t bother to go to union meetings or strike votes and try to tune-out CUPW propoganda. If our union was professional and adult they could compromise and reach a settlement with Canada Post. Instead, all members will lose thousands of dollars in a strike/ lock-out and Canada Post will lose even more business. This is the representation we get for $1200 a year! There are professional, competent unions out there like Teamsters, Longshoremen etc, but CUPW is truly one of the worst.
And less than half voted, those members don’t support CUPW.
Time to break the union and replace the slackers who bring us all down!
You need thirty percent of people to vote to decertify the union
Who going to lead to bring teamsters in. Better start the process
I see lots of comments about letter carriers working 4-5 hours. What is left out is that there people who can’t finish a route in their 8 hour shift. To base the whole group on the “runners” is the first flaw. The second flaw is thinking that making the carriers stay and work for 8 hours is going to make a difference. Those that finish early on the light days are skipping their breaks and lunches , not socializing, and working at a rapid pace ONLY BECAUSE they can go home when finished. Honestly, what do you think is going to happen if the company says you have to do more extra work if you finish early? Why would anybody go at 110% to come back and work at that pace for more work than others have to do? All those carriers will be coming back after their 8 hours are up no matter what the days volume looks like. I guarantee it. Their will be no productivity gains for the company.
I would comeback and take more work, but I guarantee you that I would be working at least 10 hours to get OT pay.
Maybe there should be mediators recommended contract put out to a vote just like in Alberta where they going to present a contract to the nurses based on a mediators recommendation. This is probably the only way forward between Canada post and cupw other than arbitration which I really don’t think any of us want to go down that road once again, it’s at this point a dead end and lined with the corps final offer.
STRIKE OR LOCK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
With parcel volumes declining because of the possibility of a strike and no guarantee the volume will return. That scenario is not beneficial to any of us.
Comeback to the depot before 8h to then be sent back again to do more work , would either result in LCs booking tons of OT, which is nice for the pay check, or others would simply comeback with stuff that they didn’t have time to deliver.
If anyone thinks it’s time for a new union that will focus on compensation and benefits, instead of fighting over Canada Post operations then you need to create a petition for change.
I’ve been reading through all the comments, and while some are valid, others might not be as much. Yes, CPC is facing a tough market, but we need to start acting more responsibly. Over the past 19 years, my net pay has only increased by about $200 per pay. CPC used to be a good employer with competitive pay and better benefits compared to the private sector, but that’s no longer the case. The only advantage now is the pension, which has already changed for other bargaining units.
The cost of living has increased by approximately 12% in a very short time, and the global offer doesn’t cover that. If the cost of living continues to rise, even by 1% during the contract period, our salaries will remain at a deficit.
Regarding the comments about Letter Carriers (LC) and the duration of the workday, I understand there will be differing opinions. Routes are designed to be 8 hours long for safety reasons and in line with the collective agreement. However, many individuals do not follow the routes as designed, which I believe contributes to the high number of delivery accidents. Rushing, skipping breaks, and taking shortcuts are common issues.
I support a mandatory 8-hour workday instead of incentive-based pay. Before anyone disagrees, consider this: if LCs knew they would be sent back out to do more work, they would slow down and take their breaks.
I agree with your first comments but you are definitely not a LC. We have good days, bad days, horrible weather conditions…you sound like you work inside which you also have good and bad days and when your done your work within 8 hrs I see you standing around doing nothing. So let’s all be on the same page. I’m about to retire with my full career as a LC and have done my job fully every day taking pride in providing my customers on my route with the best service I can give. In exchange I was able to pay off my mortgage, put my children through college, have a comfortable lifestyle and be healthy and fit on top of that. I’m now retiring with one of the best pensions out there. So thank you Canada Post! 🇨🇦
If your complaints about the company are not suitable to you, lots of other jobs out there. Have a nice day.
I agree with you almost retiring,
I am grateful with the Canada Post.
Good pay and benefits.
Only the people who manage the company needs training continues training,and specially
people management.
And not only the management also employees need training to do their job right.
This is someone else mail, need to handle it right and with care.
it sure is not a pension you can live comfortably with, especially if you pay 100% of your benefits.
I have to comment on one of the best pensions out there. I have 38 yrs service as letter carrier when I started my pension was public service pension. Canada post got rid of that one to go to their own ? Would a public service pension be better. Canada post always makes it better for Us.
I was able to make a living on the side hustles and able to put my Kids through University. The new people in the company need to have a pension and a decent wage I am done but here to help them. Team work no conquer and divide..
That’s the point. You needed a side hustle to live. And that was 30 years ago, when cost of living was a lot more reasonable. Our wages have pretty much stayed the same, but cost of living has sky rocketed. The wages are no longer competitive. Everyone including supervisors and superintendents have/had a side hustle, it’s the only way to pay your bills.
This is very true. But the truth is, not even the union or the supervisors want this. They like when we deliver quickly, especially during this season. Plus, I don’t know about your station, but the supervisors go home early here too. It’s the culture of the company. If you slow down everyone nothing will get done. Incentive is the way to go. That’s how the competition works. And that’s how things get done. Most LC’s get lots done, it doesn’t matter how much you give us we get it done, without ever booking OT…then there are those other people that can barely get out of the depot
its sad 2 big organization cupw and cpc with lot of money to dispose cant come up to an agreement.
As nov 3rd approaches and I have lowered my standard to that of both parties there really is not much left to say so don’t waste your time reading this text.
I have been an employee at Canada Post for 19 years, and in that time, I have witnessed significant changes. Mail volumes are now at 40% of what they were when I started. It is time for all of us to wake up and realize that this is our business.
How can we expect Canada Post to survive when many employees are working only 4 hours on most days and still getting paid for 8 hours? Not only that, but if they choose, they can earn an additional 2 hours of overtime after working their 4-hour shifts. Essentially, they are working 6 hours and being paid for 11.
Please, tell me, how long can an organization survive on these kinds of wage practices? CUPW needs to wake up to this reality as well. If this continues, I fear Canada Post will not be around for much longer.
You are seeing the “cup half full” here. The routes are designed for 8 hours, if LCs are finishing early, it’s because there is not enough work. If you finish your job, why would you want to stick around for 8hours, if you can just go home and spend time with your family? Or go make extra money somewhere else? 30$ h now a days feels like minimum wage in today Economy.
Thanks for making their point for them. All I see is complaints that SSD adds work and that isn’t fair etc. Now you are on here going on about why its cool to work a half day. The point is, that’s the point. Your friends in the plant don’t get to leave early with pay, why should you
Because I finished my work. If they give me more work after it I have to get paid OT because the route goes over 8hours. I personally prefer SSD, then working 2 hours outside and wait another 2 to 3 hours without doing anything just to clear SLB or an RPO…
You need to be productive for 7 hours, not sitting around watching the clock. Being fast because of time value work is not how it works for the competition. That’s why they can offer better rates, they are not paying for you to sit around on the clock. Doing extra portions as OT when you finish in 5 hours is ludicrous. I know if you owned a business, you wouldn’t set it up like this either.
I agree 100% I have been saying that for years. Imagine if they had a real 9-5 job , they wouldn’t last! This was my second career , use to work 12-16 hours a day but got paid a salary so no overtime pay. Everyone should be working 8 hours. Get a time clock and get paid for the hours worked .
whats next now so much time being wasted. No wonder cpc cant control there finances they cant make a decision for collective agreement and they are suppose to make this company desirable. sad
Strike vote coming soon all Is to quiet 🤫
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Come on canada post present final global offer.
20+ year LC. I hope it goes broke. I’m getting out and taking all my money with me, commuted value and never looking back, leaving this country too.
Good get outta here
We need people who are willing to be a team player and advocate for better customer service. Of courses we need better raise.
We had a different Union LCUC for the carriers. Not by my choice to merge. We also had superannuation pension. We are the ones that got you the benefits you have! Canada post mentality of lies must stop. They say you will not lose holidays ?
No pre-retirement and the seventh week. The Pay raise is not reasonable. Weekend work has to come. SSD will come because the government wants your depot to be social housing. Read the writing they are separating retail from the stations. Canada is to big with few people the job still is relevant in lots of communities.
Come on folks , I’ve been around for 30 years and no one can argue that volumes are far from what they were . The routes get longer every restructure which is understandable due to volumes . There has to be changes in order to survive . People talk of working shorter days but you must account for taking no lunch or breaks and moving at a fast pace to get done earlier . Working 8 hrs. a day wouldn’t hurt us a bit , but after 8 hrs. OT has to be paid . On the other end our salespeople have to get their crap together and get out there and sell Canadapost to our future customers . I cannot understand why there is so much OT. in our depot , is it that hard to find casual workers . I am getting closer to retirement and I think both union (who are supposed to be working for the workers , not themselves ) and Canadapost need to get real and keep this company strong and a good place to work
Salespeople had no problem selling and growing the business to the point that we had 66% of the market. Pricing was similar to the competition and there was the service that was the selling point. Now the competition is several dollars cheaper with rate shopping and zone skipping. Also they have lots of gig economy types doing local deliveries in busy urban areas. Its the system that is broken, not their ability to sell unfortunately. If they couldn’t sell, they wouldn’t have jobs here
Teamwork on the floor and a negated settlement is the only forward. Of course weekend delivery if the right offer is made at the table! Get it done!
I believe that we should dissolve the present union and get teamsters or unifor to represent us. I haven’t seen anything good come out of the cupw. They take lots of money for union dues and keep delaying our contract. Most unionized companies make their deal or strike on the day after the contract is up not us. Maybe canada post should have changed their pay structure decades ago and maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation. We have people working 4 hours getting paid for eight and others working past their 8 and getting paid for 8 . Also overtime within the 8 hour work day but then they don’t do their full duties so they can get the OT time . I see so much crap in our depot and see money just flying out the door . Come on Canada post and the union . Before denying every offer find the problem fix it and then negotiate.
It time to work together as a team to make this the best postal service in the world.
Then Cupw must go!
Union is for dark as well, Chef executive stewards have internal deals with management and then they keep members in dark all the time. Its sad how this whole thing is a sell out. Just collecting union dues in the name of fighting for us. I will see my union dues do nothing for me.
I have never been a carrier and I think some of the major issues are with them. We in the plant are certainly well paid for the type of work we do compared to other people who do similar work but then I also think that most of the similar work is underpaid. The big problem I see is that there are a lot of very lazy people at work who are not productive and would not last in a job where their performance was measured. The supervisors don’t want to report them as the lazy employees claim they work hard and the union will back them. Not only are they unproductive but they lower the moral of the rest of the workers who have to deal with their lack of work ethic and start the next rotation with run outs backed up because the lazy people leave their post early.
I agreed 100% lazy people are very smart they know how they use the union for their protection their untouchable, manager, superintendent and supervisor are scared of them they always use the reason of discrimination, harassment and etc. they know how to use the book of collective agreement. So the people who is a good worker who just want to come to work and do their job get stressed, affecting their mental and physical wellbeing, no protection from both sides management and union. There is no accountability in this job.$30. @hour is a good pay compare to none unionized jobs.
I am hoping that there will be changes for work accountability, they should start doing evaluations of employees work.
I don’t think that they have to be smart these days as they never get challenged anymore. I am a 4 year casual and wish that I made $30 per hour.
Another management post
No. I am a real temp worker. I you work at CMPP you would know that everything I stated is true.
At the end of the day is SSD worth fighting against? Is a 7 day work week worth it as well? SSD is coming no matter what, it can’t be stopped. If we go to arbitration they’ll side with Canada post all day and end up with less than the original Canada post offer, it’s a common occurrence in negotiations….7x over we haven’t gained a thing. Lost severance, lost sick time, lost equal pay for new hires, the list goes on. In order to be competitive we need weekend work, none of us here right now will have to do that work unless we bid on it, so let them decide as well as anyone that may or may not want that job as a new hire. Give us 20% front loaded with 11%yr 1 over 4 and we’ll let Canada post have 7day delivery and SSD.
Yes SSD is worth fighting against. You obviously don’t have to deal with it and the overburdening it places on letter carriers
SSD is a done deal, worry about protecting pensions and lets improve our wages!
It’s a lost cause.. it’s already in 40% of the stations, if this thing goes to arbitration they will side with Canada post all day. Let it go and use it for a bargaining tool. Sad but true. Trust me it’s already in the works with the government.
Yup and make it retro.NO lump sum pay for delay.
CUPW… Why has it taken you 2 full days after the fact to post a bulletin informing members of the mediators, while CPC had that information posted here 2 days ago? You need to be more forthcoming with bullentins on your websites, and posting information revelant in a more timely manner. If you dont want me here, be more responsible and stop being so cavalier about sharing information. Remember …No blackouts during negotiations. Full transparency. I would have preferred to post this comment on the cupw website, but you dont allow members to post their comments. Most undemocratic.
This is not CUPW website. This is CPC website so be careful what you write in here. CPC is reading it and most of the negative comments about CUPW are from CPC pretending to be from CUPW members.
My other texts were not posted so I guess I used words that offended people. Words like huh, da or and. I promise to lower my standards to that of the parties involved in getting a fair collective agreement.
I hope the minister forces the union to allow a vote on cpc’s 2nd global offer!
Have we gotten a 2nd Global Offer. I think we will get a final
Offer next week and should take it.
Because of we don’t then we get less the first offer.
If they let us vote on CPCs 2nd offer, the results would STILL be a RESOUNDING NO!
I think after the corporation gives its 2nd global offer that the minister of labor should force a vote from the members..
And what do you think the outcome would be? Inside workers will take anything we know that. But anyone who is a LC with the threat of SSD and dynamic routing knows better. We would need to be compensated before ever agreeing to that. And the truth is, I’ve been a LC all my career, and love it, but I know that no one wants to do this job, they cannot replace us, and we just keep getting more OT. So pay up please!
Number 1 issue with CPC is waste of time, Everything here goes at turtle pace thats why nothing gets resolved.
With CPC offer, imo it’s reasonable but adjust the pay rate by inflation accordingly to the provincial minimum wage. Ea. BC members are $5 away since they increased the minimum wage.
Canada Post’s current offer was not perfect but it was a good starting point. If our union was reasonable and adult it could negotiate something better without a strike. The problem is so many of our national and local CUPW execs are excited by a strike. They’ll get to march around with picket signs and scream and yell. Meanwhile the 90% of members who want to work will lose thousands of dollars and Canada Post will lose even more business. Please CUPW, before Nov 3rd, grow up!
We took 2%-2% and then Covid hit and Inflation spiraled out of control. We were over-burdened, told we were essential, and NOT treated like it, nor compensated for our extra efforts during that hazardous time. The buying power of our wages have gone DOWN by 15-20%, so the 12.5% we are asking for in year 1 doesn’t even scratch the surface.
Obviously, this is a management comment. Guys, be careful what you write in here. This is CPC website and not CUPW!
What happens if we go on strike and 95% of Canadians don’t miss us?
We’re hardly skilled labour, who else will give us 13 sick days, vacation leave and benefits?
Be careful what you wish for.
You might have to actually work 8 hrs too. If CPC could get rid of the people with no work ethic, CUPW, we might have chance of surviving. CUPW is only out for their agenda and have never ever cared about the members. Everybody rants about the boss’s getting paid to much. Did you know that there are RSMC that are CUPW and haven’t worked on their routes for years, they get paid their salary and the CPC has to pay Pre to do their routes for years upon years. They say get rid of the suits, well maybe if they didn’t have to pay for a route 2 times, there would be more money as well. Also CUPW makes enough money to pay them. Oh but then they might not be able to go on all their bogus trips. Just saying
I believe that will happen. Can tire gives us 100million per yr do we keep them? Amazon returns.. big business.. they’ll find another way. Gone.. it’ll all be gone
be grateful for
We have good benefits and salary.
Ok Mr supervisor
Is this from CPC management comment?
HERE WE GO
Get a deal at the table!!!
Yea
I guess CPC didn’t like the counter offer. So where is the negotiating? Or was that all CPC had to offer in a year? Not even trying. There were forced to put out an “offer” with the conciliators, I’m sure we’ll get one more inadequate offer on Nov 1. But only because they have to show that they are trying to negotiate. They like to leave everything last minute.
10.5 percent year and then 4.5 percent 2nd year. and re negotiate a new contract. Get it done CPC. Think of it as a managers bonus. Only this time you need to do it for people that actually lead the company. Dictatorship is no good without an army.
How about CUPW getting their act together? When you are broke, you cant dine at the Grand buffet. Read the room and make a reasonable offer. 17% in two years is laughable
But they can pay a top heavy management team and give out bonuses. Read the room
There is nothing called a bonus. You are buying into the lies from your handlers. At risk pay is an important motivation for achieving key objectives and is instead of a guaranteed salary, which means they could make more somewhere else.
What key objectives did they achieve, if they claimed to have lost $3billion in the last five years? Yet they still pay themselves on the back with ‘at risk’ pay. Somehow though it’s the workers fault while they went on a spending spree. I’m all about tightening up, just need to see it from team LEADERS first
What was so at risk?
each and every super duper hero (superintendent/supervisor) gets something cat up pay. This is like a bonus just not described in those words. So yes they do get that pay every time they hit there targets. If you dont know then i geuss ur misinformed.
Lock them out! Lock them out! Lock them out!
Agreed! Tail does not wag the dog. If people don’t like the offer given, they can take their unskilled labour for the most part and go get 25-30$ per hour jobs in the private sector-no problem-right????
Some of us just want a raise and that it. The union is dragging it’s feet.
Why hiding your name Mr Anonymous?