Media Statement
December 15, 2024
OTTAWA – Council of Canadians Chairperson, John Cartwright, has issued the following statement:
“The Council of Canadians joins with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in condemning the decision of the federal Minister of Labour to utilize the Canada Labour Code to have the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) determine if the CUPW and Canada Post can negotiate a tentative agreement in the very near future. He is clearly expecting that the CIRB will order postal workers back to work.
“This is an assault on workers’ constitutionally protected right to collectively bargain and to withdraw their labour.
“This order continues a deeply troubling pattern in which the government uses its arbitrary powers to side with private and public sector employers who are refusing to negotiate in good faith, compensate their employees for the impact of inflation, and address changes in technology in the workplace. People have seen their standard of living fall dramatically while corporate profits have soared. Every Canadian deserves to have an income that keeps up with the cost of groceries and housing. It is no coincidence that last week Canada’s banks announced that the bonuses going to senior managers and money traders had increased 12% in one year alone, while Canada Post was refusing to provide a raise for CUPW members that keeps up with inflation.
“This order does not just deal with current bargaining, it also imposes a review of all aspects of Canada Post, including:
“…recommendations on how to amend the collective agreements, and any other changes to be implemented, and the structures, rights and responsibilities of the parties in collective bargaining.”
“The union is standing up for the integrity of work – resisting two-tier employment conditions and a dramatic growth of part-time positions. The evidence of how employers in other sectors have transformed family-supporting jobs into precarious positions is a cautionary tale. In contrast CUPW has developed a comprehensive plan for Canada Post to be a vital and vibrant foundation of public service in every part of the country.
“The Council of Canadians demands that the governing Liberals respect the right of workers to bargain a fair collective agreement and commit to enhancing the services that Canada Post provides to Canadians in every community.”
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