Canada Post strike: A ‘lot of ground’ remains as talks progress

MONTREAL –

Canada Publish and the postal staff union discovered slivers of consensus Tuesday amid talks with a particular mediator, however “numerous floor” stays between them on the important thing considerations as a national strike entered its fifth day.

“On smaller points, we had been capable of finding some progress,” mentioned Canada Publish spokesman Jon Hamilton in a telephone interview.

“The particular mediator has helped facilitate these discussions. So we’ll proceed to be at it. We’re dedicated to getting collective agreements,” he mentioned, including that arbitration is off the desk for now.

“There’s nonetheless numerous floor to cowl.”

With deliveries at a standstill, the Crown company and the Canadian Union of Postal Staff proceed to discount over a pair of contracts — one for rural and suburban mail carriers that was mentioned Monday, the opposite for city carriers that was below the microscope on Tuesday.

The union mentioned progress was made due partly to the presence of Ottawa’s high mediator, appointed to the duty final week. Peter Simpson, director normal of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, spent the beginning of the week at a lodge in Ottawa shuttling between the events’ convention rooms in a back-and-forth of proposals and potential concessions.

“After 12 months of discussions, the employer lastly started to maneuver on the urgent points. Resolving these points might pave the best way to agreements,” union president Jan Simpson mentioned in an replace to members Tuesday.

“The city unit will discover out if there’s motion on their facet.”

About 55,000 workers represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Staff walked off the job on Friday, shutting down operations and halting deliveries because the busy vacation season kicks off.

The union has referred to as for a cumulative wage hike of 24 per cent over 4 years, whereas Canada Publish has supplied an 11.5 per cent improve.

Different wedge points embrace job safety, advantages and contract work for parcel supply on weekends.

Negotiations between Canada Publish and its unionized workers started in November 2023.

The talks come because the federal supply service faces an unprecedented monetary disaster.

Within the first half of 2024, Canada Publish misplaced practically a half-billion {dollars}. It has reported $3 billion in losses since 2018, as Canadians despatched fewer letters whereas opponents wolfed up much more of the parcel market.

Households obtained seven letters per week on common in 2006, however solely two per week final yr, in keeping with Canada Publish’s newest annual report, which dubbed the pattern “the Nice Mail Decline.”

Each the union and the Crown company have put ahead service growth round parcels as a method to increase income, however they differ on find out how to go about it. The union says full-time workers ought to ship package deal shipments on weekends, whereas Canada Publish hopes to rent contract staff.

“What’s wanted there’s a new, versatile supply mannequin that permits us to supply parcel service on weekends and supply costs which can be extra aggressive than the opposite providers that Canadians are in search of once they’re buying on-line,” Hamilton mentioned.

Based on final yr’s annual report, the postal service’s share of the parcel market eroded from 62 per cent earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic to 29 per cent final yr, as Amazon and different opponents seized on skyrocketing demand for next-day doorstep deliveries.

On high of weekend work and wage bumps to make up for inflation, the union is searching for greater short-term incapacity payouts and ten paid sick days per yr. It additionally needs to incorporate company autos for rural and suburban mail carriers in addition to paid meals and breaks.

“Not like Canada Publish’s proposals, our calls for supply actual options: honest wages, well being and security, the appropriate to retire with dignity and growth of providers on the public put up workplace,” mentioned lead negotiator Francois Senneville in an announcement earlier this month.

Amid the sudden halt of Canada Publish deliveries — authorities profit cheques are among the many few exceptions — enterprise has shot up at different delivery outfits.

“Now we have seen a double-digit improve in volumes week over week as we proceed to satisfy the wants of Canadians at this busy time,” mentioned Purolator — majority-owned by Canada Publish — in an electronic mail.

FedEx has applied a “contingency plan” to handle greater volumes, mentioned spokesman James Anderson.

The final postal work stoppage occurred beginning in late October 2018, when workers carried out rotating strikes lasting 31 days.

Earlier postal strikes held in 2011 and 2018 ended when the federal authorities handed laws sending workers again to work.

This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Nov. 19, 2024.