The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) reached tentative agreements with Canada Post on Aug. 30, but now it’s up to unionized postal workers to ratify.
Two separate tentative collective agreements covering Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier (RSMC) and Urban Mail Carrier bargaining units were reached and they must be ratified by members in each respective unit before it can be finalized.
If CUPW units ratify with a majority vote, effectively ending the labour dispute, the union indicates the mail and parcel delivery will likely remain status quo until at least next year, when it heads back to the bargaining table to finish the job.
CUPW Williams Lake local #854 president Jozie Maas says she isn’t sure of all the implications of the settlement yet, but overall, her members are “happy we won’t be striking.”
“I think a lot of people at my station are happy that it’s coming to an end. Hopefully, until the next 19 months [when it is re-tabled] where they’ll look at the RSMC pay equity again.”
Maas says she doesn’t know the details of the agreement in-principle, but from what she and her RSMC members in the Cariboo have heard unofficially so far, they are expecting some wage increase and pension improvements.
“It’s a pretty fair agreement. We have to have our ratification vote in the next few weeks…. All in all, getting the pension was good – not having that two-tiered (with less for new workers).”
CUPW national president Mike Palecek states on the union’s website that there remains “much work to be done” for its members, as many of its issues remain unresolved.
“While we have reached tentative agreements for both the urban and RSMC bargaining units, these are short-term collective agreements and we will be back at the bargaining table next year.”
These include pay equity, pensions, and postal banking (results of the government’s review of Canada Post are expected to be out in April), he explains.
Palecek also notes that over the next 13 months, CUPW will be working on a third-party pay-equity report regarding rural mail carriers.
“While we have been successful in maintaining our defined benefit pension plan for
all current and future permanent workers, we can be sure that [Canada Post] will come after it in the next round.”
Maas says she keeps regular tabs on the wider, regional CUPW member comments, and their national president seems to be on the mark.
“It wasn’t a big concern about that increase in pay wage; it was just for job security, the pension, and for pay equity.”
Palecek’s fight to have ATM bank machines added to post offices is important to help keep more of them open in rural communities, and to preserve jobs, she explains.
Maas notes that in Williams Lake, postal delivery went from 13 routes down to six after Canada Post changed to the community mailboxes.
“I think we really need to fight to get door-to-door [delivery] back, and get postal banking to boost revenue, like you wouldn’t believe.”
