The Canadian postal workers Union recently asked the federal government to appoint a mediator for all contractual communications with Canada Post as it refused the Crown Corporation’s latest offer.
The Union made this request in the late hours of Saturday only minutes before the deadline was passed on all Canada Post time-sensitive proposals that were required to cease rotating strikes; thereby, affecting the approximate 42,000 urban staff members and 8,000 suburban and rural postal carriers.
As a result of the strikes alternative shipping services like Secureship.ca are being bombarded with new customers. Secure Ship spokesperson Sandy Ahluwalia said, “Although we welcome the new customers and dramatic increases in new shipping orders, we do worry for all the affected businesses, workers and families who as a result of the strikes may lose jobs, customers and at worst their business.”
Patty Hajdu, the official spokeswoman for the Labour Minister, refused to comment on whether Ottawa would oblige the postal workers’ request stating only that this is a positive sign of both parties continuing to work together to find a resolution.
Veronique Simard stated in an email that they are encouraged of talks being continued to consider all the options available in a pursuit of finding a solution.
Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, weighed in with a last-minute request to both parties on Saturday night only a few hours before the final deadline at midnight regarding the Crown Corporation’s offer. In one of his Twitter posts, Trudeau cited the arrival of the holiday shopping season urging both parties to resolve their differences speedily and reach a resolution.
However, as the deadline for offers expires, the Union of Canadian Postal Workers has issued a statement saying that it had responded by giving the Crown Corporation a list of global offers addressing their [the postal workers] demands and needs.
The CUPW stated on Friday that the new proposals from Canada Post was helping to make positive steps, but this was not enough to cease the cycling strikes which have closed all postal workings in over 200 communities; thereby, creating an outstanding amount of backlog in the undelivered post. The Union said they would not present the offers to their members, yet both parties continue to sit at the bargaining tables.
When the deadline passed on Saturday night, Canada Post indicated that they were determining the following steps. The Retail Council of Canada has now urged Ottawa to bring an end to the strikes using a back-to-work legal regulation.
Diane Brisebois, the council president, described in her letter to Prime Minister Trudeau that as retail merchants, the workforce of approximately two million and consumers will now enter the busiest period of the year bringing the postal system to a near-halt.
Earlier in the week, eBay Canada contacted the government to discuss an end to the discussion before the Black Friday and Cyber Monday events begin as they are linked to the USA’s holiday Thanksgiving.
The Prime Minister stated last week that all of the options would be available to cease postal disruptions if no progress in bargaining was seen.
An anonymous government source stated that decisions to end the job strikes by Canada’s postal workers might present as early as Sunday with the use of legislation being part of “all options” mentioned by the Prime Minister.
