CUPW Gives Strike Notice To Canada Post

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have notified Canada Post that job action will begin next week if agreements cannot be reached for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units. 

If job action is necessary, rotating strikes will begin at 12:01 am, Monday, October 22 — locations have yet to be determined. 

"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." 

Key demands for postal workers during this round of bargaining are job security, an end to forced overtime and overburdening, better health and safety measures, service expansion and equality for RSMCs. 

The possibility of a work stoppage has hovered over Canada Post since Sept. 26 after postal workers voted overwhelmingly in late summer in support of a potential walkout to back their contract demands.

Canada Post is the biggest parcel shipping company in the country, having delivered about one million parcels per day during the holiday season last year _ an increase of 20 per cent over the same period in 2016.

— with files from The Canadian Press