Canada Post's latest offer set to go to a vote by union members
Canada Post workers will soon be asked to cast their votes on whether to ratify the employer's final offer in the ongoing labour dispute, despite union opposition.
'Canada Post has received notice that the Minister of Jobs and Families has approved its request for a vote to take place on the company's final offers to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), using her authority under section 108.1 of the Canada Labour Code,' Canada Post said in a statement Thursday.
'The vote will be administered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) as soon as possible and will give employees in the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units the opportunity to have their say on Canada Post's final offers.
'We stand ready to work with the CIRB to prepare for the vote and will share details as soon as they are available.'
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Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu said she made the decision because 'it is in the public interest that the membership of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has the opportunity to vote on Canada Post's last offers.'
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The vote will be focused on the latest and final offers made to employees in both the Urban and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers bargaining units presented on May 28, and the decision comes just days after Canada Post rejected the union's binding arbitration proposal on Monday.
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If the majority approves, this could be the beginning of the end of off-and-on labour disruptions at Canada Post after 18 months of negotiations.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said in a statement that 'Canada Post and the Government are colluding to take away the rights of workers to freely and fairly bargain collective agreements.'
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'CUPW leadership and its negotiating committees will be recommending to members to vote no on these offers,' the union said, adding that the overtime ban remains in effect.
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