Canadian Magazine Industry News
18 April 2011, OTTAWA
Postal workers vote for strike, earliest possible May 25
While a strike is far from certain and negotiations continue with the aid of a government-appointed conciliator, members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have voted 94.5% in favour of striking if necessary to obtain a collective agreement.
The earliest a real strike could happen is May 25.
“We hope the sky-high strike vote and the record turnout of our members will put pressure on Canada Post to negotiate,” said CUPW national president Denis Lemelin on the CUPW website today.
“Canada Post has been very focused on its demands, not ours,” says Lemelin. “The corporation wants to pay new employees 30 percent less. It wants to reduce their benefits, weaken their job security and provide an inferior pension. It also wants to attack retiree benefits, sick leave and turn back the clock on many other contract provisions.”
For its part, Canada Post says it remains optimistic that a negotiated settlement can be reached because employees are being offered “annual wage increases, a secure pension and continued job security,” according to a report from CTV News in Winnipeg, quoting a Canada Post release.
As reported earlier on Masthead, a strike vote at this point is a negotiating tactic. CUPW members have voted for strikes in the past without a strike occurring.
The earliest a real strike could happen is May 25.
“We hope the sky-high strike vote and the record turnout of our members will put pressure on Canada Post to negotiate,” said CUPW national president Denis Lemelin on the CUPW website today.
“Canada Post has been very focused on its demands, not ours,” says Lemelin. “The corporation wants to pay new employees 30 percent less. It wants to reduce their benefits, weaken their job security and provide an inferior pension. It also wants to attack retiree benefits, sick leave and turn back the clock on many other contract provisions.”
For its part, Canada Post says it remains optimistic that a negotiated settlement can be reached because employees are being offered “annual wage increases, a secure pension and continued job security,” according to a report from CTV News in Winnipeg, quoting a Canada Post release.
As reported earlier on Masthead, a strike vote at this point is a negotiating tactic. CUPW members have voted for strikes in the past without a strike occurring.
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"Canada Post remains optimistic that a negotiated settlement can be reached just as it has in each round of collective bargaining with CUPW since 1997. We are confident that we will reach a negotiated settlement because we are offering employees annual wage increases, a secure pension and continued job security. Under the new collective agreement that has been proposed, members of CUPW will continue to enjoy some of the best wages and benefits in Canada.
"We are proposing a new sick leave program and different terms and conditions for new employees. These changes are needed to keep Canada Post financially viable and secure the future of the postal system in this country. Competition and electronic substitutions of traditional mail are growing and putting a strain on our business."
Full release here:
http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/aboutus/news/pr/2011/2011_apr_strikevote.jsf
Highlights from the 2009 CPC Annual Report:
* Canada Post recorded its 15th consecutive year of profitability despite sustaining one of the most challenging years in its history.
* The profit was due to two factors: an unplanned, non-cash reduction in employee future benefits expense, and stringent cost cutting efforts across the Corporation.
* Volumes in the core Canada Post segment dropped by almost 8% in 2009, wiping out close to five years of growth.
* Volumes in our transaction mail business continue to decline: transaction mail volume per address declined for the fourth straight year, and the rate of decline also increased for the fourth straight year.
* Consolidated revenue from operations reached $7,312 million, a decrease of $421 million, or 5.1% from 2008.
* Consolidated cost of operations for fiscal 2009 totalled $6, 955 million, a decrease of $639 million from the $7,594 million recorded in the previous year.
* Consolidated net income for the fiscal period ended December 31, 2009 was $281 million, an increase of $191 million from the previous year. This performance reflects the cost containment measures and the unplanned non-cash reduction in employee future benefits expense for the Canada Post segment.
* The Canada Post Group delivered approximately 11 billion pieces of mail to 15 million residential and business addresses.
* With approximately 71, 000 employees, The Canada Post Group is one of the largest employers in Canada.
* The Canada Post Group spends approximately $3 billion annually on goods and services, thereby supporting an additional 30,000 jobs in the Canadian economy.