More than 53,000 postal workers have overwhelmingly ratified a tentative agreement with Canada Post, bringing an end to a two-year contract dispute that led to two national strikes, and clearing the way for the Crown corporation to move ahead with a massive restructuring.
Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ (CUPW) urban bargaining unit approved the deal 89 per cent to 11 per cent, while CUPW’s rural and suburban unit approved their deal 85.9 per cent to 14.1 per cent, in voting which began April 20 and closed Saturday.
In a bulletin to members, CUPW national president Jan Simpson — who had come out publicly against the deal — said the union needs to remain united as it pushes back against the Crown corporation’s restructuring, which was given the green light by the federal government in September.
“We still have our work cut out for us. To win the fights ahead, prepare for the next round of bargaining and mobilize against the Government’s attacks on our public postal service, we all have to regroup and unite in our struggle,” Simpson said.
In a written statement, Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger said the Crown corporation will try to rebuild trust with its customers, and said the restructuring will help them do that.
“Thank you to Canadians and businesses large and small for their patience over the last two years. We will work hard to regain your trust,” said Ettinger of the agreements, which will last until Jan. 31, 2029. “The new agreements are critically important as the corporation moves ahead with its transformation to return to financial sustainability and better meet the modern needs of the country.”
The agreement is for a five-year deal, with wage increases of 6.5 per cent and three per cent in the first two years, and increases to match inflation in the final three years.
The agreement also maintains job security provisions for mail carriers.
Brock University labour studies professor Larry Savage said the large majority is a “sharp rebuke” to Simpson, and showed “a significant disconnect” between the national president and her membership.
Postal workers, said Savage, likely voted to approve the deal because they’d been ground down by two years of hard bargaining which included two national strikes, a forced vote last year, and the federal government giving the greenlight for a postal restructuring.
“I think postal workers have been worn down by an exceedingly difficult round of bargaining,” said Savage. “The union was divided, Canada Post was struggling, and the federal government has mandated sweeping restructuring. Given the context, I think the workers simply came to the conclusion that a strike wouldn’t get them any further ahead, and might even leave them worse off in the long run.”
More to come.
