Negotiations : Bargaining Update

Since mid-November, the Urban and RSMC Negotiating Committees have met several times with Canada Post to exchange bargaining proposals.

On the Union side, so far, we have presented a number of demands from our Program:

• C1: Protect all regular employees from layoff by renewing the dates in Urban Article 53;

• C20 & C21: Improve special leave, personal leave, and sick leave entitlements given recent changes to the Canada Labour Code;

• U4: Remove the Christmas black out period from Group 1 vacation schedules;

• C9: Allow employees to bank and carry over compensatory time indefinitely;

• C12: Allow pregnant and breastfeeding employees a precautionary cessation of work.

On the RSMC table, much of the discussion has focused on clarifying the parties’ perspectives on work content and an hourly wage for all hours worked.

Canada Post’s Demands

As mentioned in our last bulletin, Canada Post’s stated priority is to make the Corporation more competitive in the parcels market. We are starting to get a sense of the Corporation’s vision, even if we have yet to hear most of the employer’s demands.

Canada Post’s main theme this round is “flexibility” in delivery and staffing. Among the Corporation’s goals are:

• Less overtime;
• Changes in the calculation of letter carrier relief complements;
• More frequent letter carrier route volume updates.

“An Employer of Choice”

As often as we hear the Corporation make the case for “flexibility,” we hear of its commitment to being “an employer of choice.” According to the Corporation, flexibility will not be achieved on the back of the workers.

It is up to all of us to hold Canada Post to its word.

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In Solidarity,