Canada Post has responded to the postal worker union's 72-hour strike notice by threatening to cut maternity benefits, vacation time and paid short-term disability leave.
On Thursday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers provided management with a 72-hour strike notice.
In response to the threat of job action, Canada Post informed the union that the terms and conditions of its members would revert to the statutory minimum conditions under the Canada Labour Code effective Sunday. In addition, the Crown corporation is discontinuing all new short-term disability claims, cancelling paid vacation leave for all employees and no longer paying adoption, maternity and top-up benefits.
Employees will retain their extended health care plan, as well as their dental, vision and hearing coverage.
Employers have the right to do this under the labour code once a contract is no longer in place.
Canada Post also has the option to lock out its employees, given they have been without a collective agreement for months.
As of Friday, both parties willingly entered mediation with a specially appointed mediator. Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk appointed experienced mediator William Kaplan in hopes of reaching an agreement by Sunday.
"I am hopeful that this will bring a new perspective to the negotiating table, which could motivate the parties to find a solution and move beyond their current impasse," said Mihychuk in a statement made Friday.
The union will be in a legal strike position as of 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday.
Canada Post welcomed the appointment. "We hope that the assistance of a neutral third party will help both parties address the real challenges facing the postal service caused by declining mail volumes and increasing pension obligations," stated the Crown corporation in a press release Thursday.
CUPW is also co-operating, but accuses Canada Post of forcing its hand by refusing to accept a request by the federal labour minister to extend the union's strike mandate.
With the mandate set to expire on Thursday at midnight, CUPW national president Mike Palecek said the union had no choice but to file a 72-hour notice of job action.
Another strike vote could take upwards of two months to complete, pushing back potential job action until the fall.
Palecek indicated however the union is willing to retract strike notice if Canada Post agrees to an extension.
"Our goal remains a freely negotiated collective agreement, without disruption to the public service that we proudly provide to the people of this country," he said.
In a statement issued Thursday, the union said it would not walk off the job.
Instead, starting Monday – unless a resolution is reached over the weekend – workers will refuse to work overtime. Stoppages will rotate by province and territory.
Negotiations between Canada Post and CUPW, which represents 51,000 rural and urban postal workers, have been ongoing for nine months. After threat of a lockout by Canada Post in June, both parties resumed another round of negotiations in mid-July, but little progress has been made on key issues, such as pay equity for rural carriers and secure pensions for new employees.
Gazette plans
The St. Albert Gazette will still be available in the event of a mail disruption.
St. Albert, Morinville, and Cardiff will not be affected by a strike or lockout, since these areas are covered by door-to-door delivery by Gazette carriers. However, there are about 4,300 subscribers in Sturgeon County who receive the newspaper through Canada Post. If mail delivery is suspended, news boxes will be placed at strategic locations.
A map is available on the Gazette website at stalbertgazette.com/distribution.
There is a small number of national subscribers who won't be able to receive the paper if there is a disruption. An e-edition of the Gazette is available on our website.
