Canada Post strike? ‘No scenario’ in which NDP supports ‘back to work’ bill – National

As a potential strike of Canada Post workers threaten, the Crown corporation says it is “operating normally” as negotiations with the union continue.

If a strike continuesat least one opposition party has said it will not support return-to-work legislation.

Postal workers are legally on strike starting Sunday, but Canada Labor Code requires 72 hours’ notice before workers can leave their jobs.

“Both sides remain at the table and we have not received a strike notice from the union,” said Canada Post spokesperson Valérie Chartrand.

“If we receive a strike notice, we will notify customers and the public of our plans regarding service,” she told Global News in a statement on Friday.

On Tuesday, Canada Post presented new offers to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, including higher annual wage increases of 11.5 percent over four years and protection of workers’ pensions.

CUPW’s national president Jan Simpson told Global News on Thursday that the union is assessing that offer and will respond to Canada Post.

“We are still at the negotiating table hoping that we can reach a negotiated collective agreement for both urban operations and rural postal workers,” she said.

A cooling-off period in labor negotiations ends on Saturday, after which postal workers will be legally able to strike.

The dispute comes ahead of the busy holiday season and Canada Post has warned it would lead to a labor disruption “significant impact” on millions of Canadians.

The federal government has urged both sides to reach a collective agreement and is working to facilitate that outcome.

Labor Minister Steve MacKinnon met with Canada Post and CUPW on Thursday.

He told reporters on Wednesday: “We are clearly active in facilitating a collective agreement and we want to see the two sides reach an agreement and see that agreement ratified.”

MacKinnon did not say whether the federal government would intervene.

Popular now

• Alberta unveils three sweeping bills impacting trans and gender diverse youth

• Canada’s youngest dangerous offender requests supervised prison leave

If a strike goes ahead, it is not clear whether the minority Liberal government will be able to impose back-to-work legislation as it did with the railway closure in August.

The New Democratic Party, for example, will not support it.

“There is no scenario in which we will support return to work legislation,” said NDP labor critic Matthew Green.

“It is incumbent on the Minister of Labor not to use the threat of legally allowing Canada Post to return to work to essentially relieve management from negotiating a fair deal with these workers” , Green said in an interview with Global News on Friday.

He said all options should be explored and the “best deals” reached at the negotiating table.

“Any time there is the idea that management can trust a weak Liberal government to intervene on their behalf, it completely undermines the working class in Canada.”

Global News also reached out to the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois and Green Party for their positions on back-to-work legislation in the event of a Canada Post strike, but no responses were received.

The labor dispute comes as Canada Post is struggling to stay afloat amid financial losses.

Canada Post says it suffered $490 million in operating losses in the first half of the year and has lost more than $3 billion since 2018.

&copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.