Postal union serves notice of strike action

Workers will stop short of full walkout; government has appointed special mediator

The union representing 50,000 postal workers has served formal notice that it is prepared to take strike action beginning Monday, though it will stop short of walking off the job.

The 72-hour notice of job action was only filed on Thursday, after Canada Post refused a request by Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk asked for a 24-hour extension of timelines, the union said.

“This was an11th-hour intervention from the government to avoid a dispute and of course we said yes. From the outset, our goal has been a negotiated collective agreement without service disruptions,” said Canadian Union of Postal Workers national president Mike Palecek in a statement.

Palecek argued that Canada Post CEO Deepak Chopra has been trying to provoke a labour dispute, especially with little progress at the bargaining table, with the parties believed to be still miles apart.

“For months, Chopra has been trying to provoke a disruption in the middle of the government’s review of Canada Post. Unfortunately, Mr. Chopra’s latest actions leave us no choice but to file a 72-hour notice of job action,” said Palecek, as the union’s strike mandate was due to expire on Thursday.

Key issues have included the company’s push to switch all new hires to a defined-contribution pension plan and the ability to close nearly 500 union-staffed retail locations.

The union has also called for equalizing pay among rural carriers, who are mostly women, with urban carriers. The company had previously served notice it would lock out workers in July, but then withdrew the threat. Mihychuk has now appointed a special mediator to assist in contract talks. Canada Post said it will fully co-operate in the process.

“We hope that the assistance of a neutral third party will help both parties address the real challenges facing the postal service caused by declining mail volumes and increasing pension obligations,” said spokesman Jon Hamilton in a statement.

The union would be unlikely to shut down the entire postal service.