by Greg Layson
About 55,000 Canada Post employees, including roughly 15 in Essex, remained on strike at press time this week.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) was still reviewing a proposal recently tabled by Canada Post, before responding through the Special Mediator.
Canada Post offered a proposal on December 6 and the Union responded with a counterproposal. Canada Post then did the same and talks then stalled again.
“Our proposals include significant moves to close the gap on key issues, like weekend delivery, pensions, and wages to reach new agreements and get our people back to work,” Canada Post said in a statement.
CUPW struck Canada Post on November 15 after the two sides couldn’t come to terms on a new collective agreement.
Most who work in Essex out of the Gordon Street office are carriers who service urban and rural residents. Two work the front retail counter.
Those picketing directed all questions to Dan Sutton, the CUPW spokesperson representing workers in Essex, Leamington, Amherstburg, and hamlets and towns such as Cottam and others in between.
Sutton said the latest offer from Canada Post is “by all accounts a step backwards in many of the items we were trying to address.”
CUPW had not officially responded to the latest offer as of press time, but Sutton said one of the union’s lead negotiators said it contained “multiple steps backwards on the issues.”
The union is seeking higher wages to offset inflation, better working conditions, pension improvements, and the expansion of what services Canada Post offers.
Canada Post believes it is putting forward “fair offers that are focused on our customers and our employees – improving service to grow our parcel business, while protecting and enhancing what our employees have today.”
The ball is currently in the union’s court.
“Union negotiators are currently reviewing these latest proposals, before responding through the Special Mediator,” CUPW said in a statement.
Sutton said his members want to get back to work, but not under the terms of Canada Post’s latest offer.
“Our membership is strong and willing to tough this out,” Sutton said. “We realize the impact this is having on the small business and charities, and we empathize with that. But we want to go back with the ability to service the community for years to come.
“Under the current offers, it would make so many of the issues rear their ugly heads again.”