Liberals warned work stoppage likely in Canada Post dispute, documents show
Posted Jul 6, 2016 03:29:45 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – Canada Post and its largest union have no planned negotiating sessions, making it more and more unlikely the two sides will come to an agreement ahead of Friday when a work stoppage becomes possible.
The two sides remain far apart on the union’s request for wage increases for rural mail carriers and the pension changes Canada Post says it needs to make to reduce costs.
Canada Post spokesman Jon Hamilton says the two sides couldn’t be further apart in talks.
The fractious relationship between the Crown corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents about 50,000 staff at Canada Post, should have come as no surprise to the government.
Public Services Minister Judy Foote was warned three months ago that contract negotiations between Canada Post and CUPW were likely to lead to a strike or lockout, with officials advising the government to avoid taking sides in bargaining.
Foote was told in an April briefing note that negotiations “will likely be long and arduous” and that they “may lead to labour disruptions as has occurred in about half of previous negotiations between parties.”
