A scheduled meeting between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers scheduled for Friday has been postponed to next week.
In a statement, CUPW cites Canada Post as saying the decision to delay talks until Aug. 25 will allow the company more time to review the union’s response to its “latest and final offers.”
“(On) August 20, CUPW’s Negotiating Committees returned to the bargaining table to present comprehensive global offers for both the RSMC and Urban bargaining units,” the CUPW said in the statement.
“While we had planned to meet again tomorrow, Canada Post has told us today that it needs more time to review our offers. As a result, (Friday’s) meeting has been postponed. Instead, we will return to the table to hear Canada Post’s response next Monday, August 25.”
A request for confirmation sent to Canada Post has yet to receive a response.
The negotiations between the two sides resumed Wednesday, after the union voted to reject Canada Post’s latest offer tabled in May.
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“The message from postal workers is clear: the Corporation’s ‘best and final’ offers didn’t meet our needs,” the CUPW said.
“Our global offers are built to secure ratifiable collective agreements that respect workers’ rights and ensure good services for the community.”
The union said on Wednesday that its new offer to Canada Post includes a total 19 per cent wage increase over four years, along with a cost-of-living allowance system that triggers additional payments during periods of high inflation. There are also improvements to benefits and paid leave.
Canada Post’s offer to the union had included wage hikes of about 13 per cent over four years and restructuring to add part-time workers to the collective agreement.
The CUPW offer for urban postal workers, who are bargaining separately from rural carriers, proposes a weekend parcel delivery system that only uses full-time workers.
The union has long called for Canada Post to bring back weekend parcel delivery in order to better compete against Amazon and other private delivery companies like UPS and Purolator.
Canada Post has said the part-time jobs will create stability and predictability for people looking for flexible work. It also says it helps the financially struggling company find savings, which the union says can be found elsewhere.
The offer from the union’s urban unit also demands an end to contracted workers and limits for forced overtime.
The union says an overtime ban is still in place.
— with files from Global’s Sean Boynton
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