Canada Post workers walk off the job
Striking workers demand better wages, benefits
Union says it's 'disappointed' with Crown corporation's latest offer
Canada Post workers have walked off the job after failing to reach a new contract agreement with the Crown corporation.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said in a statement that its members voted 94.5 per cent in favour of a strike mandate, and that workers would begin walking off the job at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday.
CUPW is demanding better wages, benefits, and working conditions for its members, who have been without a contract since July 31.
In a statement, Canada Post said it was "disappointed" with the union's decision to strike, and that it was "committed to reaching a fair and reasonable agreement."
The Crown corporation said it had made "significant progress" in negotiations with CUPW, and that it was "hopeful" that a deal could be reached soon.
However, CUPW said that Canada Post's latest offer was "unacceptable," and that it was "not prepared to accept a deal that does not meet the needs of our members."
The strike is expected to have a significant impact on the delivery of mail and parcels across Canada.
Canada Post has said that it will continue to deliver essential services, such as the delivery of medication and government benefits, during the strike.
However, the union has said that it is "confident" that the strike will be successful in forcing Canada Post to meet its demands.
What are the key issues in the dispute?
- Wages: CUPW is demanding a wage increase of 4.5 per cent per year over the next three years, while Canada Post is offering a wage increase of 2.5 per cent per year.
- Benefits: CUPW is demanding improvements to its members' health and dental benefits, while Canada Post is offering to maintain the current level of benefits.
- Working conditions: CUPW is demanding improvements to its members' working conditions, such as a reduction in the number of hours worked per week and an increase in the number of paid sick days.
What are the potential impacts of the strike?
- Delays in the delivery of mail and parcels: The strike is expected to cause significant delays in the delivery of mail and parcels across Canada.
- Economic losses: The strike is expected to cause economic losses for businesses that rely on Canada Post for the delivery of their products and services.
- Public inconvenience: The strike is expected to cause inconvenience for the public, who rely on Canada Post for the delivery of their mail and parcels.
What are the next steps?
The next step in the dispute is for the two sides to return to the bargaining table and try to reach a new agreement.
If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, the strike could continue for an extended period of time.
