Postal workers plead for longer cooling-off period

Employees are asking Canada Post for a two-week extension amid fears the company will terminate their collective agreement on July 2.

Postal workers are pleading with Canada Post to extend the cooling-off period by two weeks amid fears the company will terminate its collective agreement this weekend.

Legally, work cannot be disrupted until Saturday July 2, but the Canadian Union of Postal Workers claims the company could easily lock workers out or attempt to force a walkout after that date.

“We are asking management to give us a chance, to give the public review a chance, to keep sitting down with us at the bargaining table, and give the workers a chance to get a fair deal,” said Mike Palecek, national president of the CUPW.

Eight-thousand rural postal workers have been without a contract since the end of December 2015 while 42,000 urban workers have been without a contract since the end of January 2016.

Over 90 per cent of union members voted to support strike action “if necessary to achieve our demands, stop the employer’s rollbacks and improve service to the public” which means the nation-wise service could soon grind to a halt.

More like this:

What to do when you can’t offer flexible working

Google exec confirmed for HR Leaders’ Summit

Getting real with executive education