THUNDER BAY – Local postal workers say they have been left in the dark while a looming Canada Post strike could take effect at midnight.
Leo Favreau, president of CUPW Local 620, told Newswatch Thursday that he hasn’t heard any news on a possible pause on the strike order as negotiations between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers continue at the eleventh hour.
Favreau represents about 260 postal workers across Northwester Ontario and said they do not want to go on strike and hope the talks between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have a positive outcome.
“The last strike was financially hard on all my members, and I know it was hard on the public, so we don't really want to do that again. It's not gonna help us at this point,” said Favreau.
Favreau noted that CUPW's best chance to get a fair contract was CUPW’s strike in November, when a higher volume of mail was being processed.
The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered striking postal workers to return to work and postal operations to resume in December.
“When we were on strike at Christmas and they sent us back to work, I believe they knew what they were doing when they said, May 22nd for the extension. At Christmas time, we had all the momentum. Now I find that they have all the momentum, and it hurts. It really does hurt that the government has kind of set us up this way,” said Favreau.
He said the negotiation with Canada Post has been “off and on” since then.
On Monday, May 19, the Crown corporation announced it had received strike notices from the union's bargaining units for urban, rural and suburban mail carriers.
According to Favreau, CUPW has been asking Canada Post for increases in job security, a livable wage, and health and safety.
“Negotiations have been going on for almost 2.5 years now. So if they were seriously serious about negotiating in good faith you would think that by 2.5 years it should be good, it should be settled,” said Favreau.
In a press release issued on Monday, Canada Post said it has lost $3 billion since 2018 and expects another loss for 2024.
“It's been amazing that the board of directors and the guy on top, who gets a six-figure salary for seven years, has lost $750 million each year and still has a job and gets paid and gets paid bonuses. So, how do you get paid bonuses for running a company into the ground?" said Favereau.
Canada Post said they are prepared to increase their wage offer to six per cent in year one, three per cent in year two, and 2 per cent in years three and four.
The offers also provide employees with better income replacement for leave under the short-term disability program, and six additional personal days.
