As reports point to looming sellout agreement between Canada Post and CUPW, what way forward for postal workers?
Prime Minister Mark Carney has stated that his Liberal government sees the dismantling of Canada Post in its current form as a testing ground for future attacks by the ruling class on all workers.
Daniel Berkley, a postal worker and leading member of the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC), encourages workers to reach out. To contact the PWRFC, email [email protected] or use the form provided at the end of the article.
Several media outlets report that the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is nearing an agreement with Canada Post that would impose serious setbacks on employees, affecting both jobs and working conditions.
Government mediation and union stance
Bargaining resumed on Monday, November 3. CUPW’s statement praised the assistance of a mediator appointed by the government and expressed the union leadership’s goal to resolve “the disagreements between the parties” and achieve “ratifiable collective agreements at the bargaining table.”
In a separate message, the union requested the pro-business Liberal government “to ensure that any decisions... are made... with Union input.”
The Liberal administration has already endorsed plans that would remove roughly two-thirds of Canada Post’s 55,000 workers, prompting widespread outrage among postal employees.
Author’s summary
The looming CUPW–Canada Post deal signals growing pressure on workers, as the government pushes ahead with cutbacks threatening tens of thousands of postal jobs.