Canadian postal workers reach agreement
Following eight months of intense negotiations, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has reached two milestone agreements with Canada Post Corporation (CPC).
These are two very historic agreements for CUPW and Canada Post, said Deborah Bourque, National President of the CUPW.
This four-year agreement for the 48,000 postal workers strengthens job security by contracting-in parcels. It ensures economic security with a wage increase of 3% per year that is protected by a cost of living allowance, and enhances the overall rights and benefits for our members, said Bourque.
CUPW has obtained very important health and safety improvements for its members. There will be an injection of money each year towards health and safety training, studies and the elimination of workplace hazards. Through pilot projects, CUPW members will see an increase in daytime work and a new four-day workweek for night workers. Currently, postal workers have the second highest injury rate in the federal sector. Letter carriers have an injury rate that is five times higher than the Canadian average.
The agreement for Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) provides employee status to 6,000 workers with Canada Post. It also guarantees significant improvements in their wages and benefits.
This is an historic moment for the labour movement. For over twenty years, rural and suburban workers have been delivering mail at ghetto wages, while denied the legal right to collective bargaining, explained Bourque.
RSMCs will form a separate bargaining unit to all other Canada Post employees represented by CUPW. This group of workers, more than two-thirds of whom are women, have not had the legal right to join a union until now. The majority of RSMCs have been paid poverty wages, without benefits or even minimal job protection.
The next step is for a ratification vote to be held by members, to determine whether they agree on the offer. The majority of CUPW members must vote yes for the agreement to be ratified.
