Bulletin #67 December 13, 2024
GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TRAMPLES ON WORKERS’ RIGHTS
As you may know by now, the Minister of Labour, Steve MacKinnon, is using his powers under Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to request that the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) determine if the CUPW and Canada Post can negotiate a tentative agreement in the very near future. If the CIRB decides they cannot then the CIRB will order postal workers back to work. We denounce in the strongest terms this assault on our constitutionally protected right to free and fair collective bargain and our right to strike.
This order continues a deeply troubling pattern in which successive federal governments have used back-to-work legislation or, in this case, its arbitrary powers to let employers off the hook from bargaining in good faith. What employer would move on anything when they know the government will bail them out? Once again, the government has chosen capital over workers by taking away our leverage to get a good deal.
What we Know
This is a rapidly developing situation, and we have yet to receive the order. What we do know is that postal workers could be forced to return to work without new negotiated collective agreements in place.
Once we receive the order, we will review it and consider every available option moving forward.
We have been informed a Canada Industrial Relations Board hearing will be held shortly, possibly as early as this weekend.
Where we stand
We have been out on the streets for nearly a month, Canada Post has sat on our latest offer for five days with no response to us – so why this move by the government now?
We are going to continue to fight hard to get good negotiated collective agreements for our 55,000 members. We will continue to fight for fair wages, safe working conditions and to retire with dignity. We have been pushing Canada Post for years to expand services to generate more revenue.
We must stand strong in the face of this abuse of power. Please stay alert for more information in the coming days.
This is far from over.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President