Mail delivery may stop Friday, lockout notice issued

Palecek said the union has been attempting to negotiate pay equity for its female-dominated workforce of rural carriers and stave off the profitable Crown Corporation’s demands for massive rollbacks.

It cites, in part, the financial toll of a rapid decline in mail volume in today’s increasingly digital world.

Rather, Canada Post says, the lockout notice allows the carrier to “take measures that are necessary to respond to the changing business reality”.

The union representing postal workers says it has presented Canada Post with new offers, and workers won’t be striking before Wednesday at the earliest.

The union and Canada Post have already agreed that government cheques that cover the social-safety net, including pensions, will continue to be delivered if there’s a strike or a lockout.

However nothing came of the 60-day mediation and either side could have invoked the 72-hour notice to strike or lock-out.

“Late Friday evening, CUPW tabled offers that would add at least $1 billion in new costs over the term of a new collective agreement while rejecting the corporation’s approach to address the long-term issues with the employee pension plan”, it said.

Some believe the work stoppage could have long-term impacts on one of Canada Post’s few bright spots, parcel delivery.

A Canada Post employee fills a community mail box in Dartmouth, N.S. on Thursday, June 30, 2016.

“I’m just happy to see that they’ve finally started to bargain”, said Kendra Larocque, current president of CUPW Local 776, who says this past Monday was the first time Canada Post had made an offer to CUPW.

Market share: According to Canada Post, almost two out of three parcels that Canadians order online are delivered by the post office. And Canada Post has not served notice of a lockout notice.

The CUPW says the notice is an effort to “drive them out onto the streets without pay”.

Palecek said this option is a non-starter for the union, whose members equate this to selling out their future co-workers. Any mail and parcels within the postal system during a work disruption will be secured and delivered as quickly as possible once operations resume.

But Ottawa has deemed Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, Working Income Tax Benefit and the Canada Child Benefit cheques “essential” – even during a labour disruption.