The union representing workers at Canada Post has criticized the recent offer made by the Crown corporation, describing it as a setback for negotiations. In a statement released on Friday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) expressed disappointment over the proposals, calling them “insulting.”
Critical Response to Canada Post’s Offer
Jan Simpson, the national president of CUPW, stated, “We waited 45 days to receive offers that are worse than those we rejected in August.” She expressed skepticism about Canada Post’s intentions, questioning why the corporation presented these proposals if it knew they would not be accepted.
Details of the New Offer
On Friday, Canada Post submitted a proposal that recycled many elements from its previous offers made in May. Key points from the offer included:
- A salary increase of 13.59% over four years.
- The elimination of a signing bonus.
- New provisions related to job cuts.
These changes come amid broader plans by Ottawa to reform Canada Post, including an end to daily mail delivery and the closure of some rural post offices. The initiative aims to address financial difficulties within the service.
Lisa Liu, a spokesperson for Canada Post, defended the proposal, stating it aligns with the company’s financial capacity while still maintaining good jobs and benefits for employees in the long term. Canada Post also plans to offer voluntary departure incentives to help decrease or avoid layoffs.
Union’s Next Steps
The CUPW, which represents about 55,000 members, has initiated a national strike following the announcement of these changes. The union noted it would require time to review over 500 pages of the latest offer before responding.
As negotiations continue, the union remains firm in its stance against what it deems unacceptable proposals from Canada Post.
