As of press time, Canada Post and Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) representatives were still sitting at the negotiation table, and the mail is still moving.
This is good news for many Canadians, especially those with small businesses, who use the Canada Post extensively for parcel shipping.
Most Canadians wouldn’t like a postal service disruption.
If there is a strike or lockout at Canada Post, folks who need important documentation or monthly cheques will have to make arrangements to pick these items up at local ministry, agency or Service BC offices.
For Free Press subscribers, extra copies of their community newspapers would be placed at their local general stores.
The Free Press will also continue to run its online edition, which is free to subscribers.
Business analysts seem to agree that the fact the two sides are still at the bargaining table means the two sides are making progress and likely narrowing the issues down for negotiations.
Bargaining has ramped up quickly during the past of couple weeks, with little getting done prior to June 27 despite the contract between Canada Post and the CUPW expiring in December 2015.
On June 27, CUPW members voted 90-plus per cent to give their union the go-ahead to call a strike if necessary.
They would have to give 72-hour notice, which could potentially shut the postal service down, except for essential deliveries, on July 2.
That deadline passed without a work disruption, but on July 5, Canada Post issued a 72-hour lockout notice to CUPW.
The union chided Canada Post for refusing to negotiate fairly and trying to starve employees into submission.
On July 6, Canada Post stated it would extend the lockout notice to July 11 if CUPW would undergo binding arbitration in the negotiation process.
The union refused but did promise not to issue a strike vote as long as meaningful negotiations continued.
The two parties are at loggerheads over pensions for new hires and pay equity between urban and rural carriers.
If there is a postal dispute, more details will be made available for Free Press subscribers or on our www.100milefreepress.net or our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/100milefreepress.
