Today, May 23, is the first day of a nationwide overtime ban. As of 12:01 a.m. today, members were called on to refuse to work more than eight hours a day and more than 40 hours a week. This is a legal strike action and all CUPW members must follow this direction.
Although Canada Post has stated that as of now, our collective agreements are still in effect and the terms and conditions of our employment have not changed, this could change at any time. Because we are on a legal strike, Canada Post does not have to provide a 72-hour lockout notice.
This is why we proposed a two-week truce. It would have provided our negotiators the time to thoroughly analyze and reply to the over 700-page offers from Canada Post, while ensuring stability for workers and the public. Since Canada Post refused, instability continues to loom over these negotiations.
We’ve already heard from members that some supervisors have said that the collective agreements are no longer valid or that the overtime ban is already done. In some locations, full-timers have been told they can do 17.04 on another route as long as they do all the work inside eight (8) hours. All of this is false information. If the Employer states there are any changes to the strike action, your working conditions or your collective agreements, you should confirm this with the Union, as proper notice must be given.
Since the overtime ban is part of a legal strike action, the Employer cannot discipline you for refusing to do overtime. We ask all Locals to keep track of any violations to the collective agreement and provide that information to their National Directors.
Your negotiating committees continue to review Canada Post’s offers and are preparing the Union’s response. The Union expects to meet with Canada Post and the mediators this weekend to continue working towards ratifiable collective agreements.
Remember: Your Union is the most reliable and accurate source of information about Negotiations.
Please stay tuned for future updates to keep yourself informed.
Your Negotiators thank all members for their ongoing support!
We will keep members updated as we receive new information and encourage you to sign up for eDigest to receive the latest Union news and updates directly in your email inbox.
Sign up here: https://www.cupw.ca/en/cupw-edigest
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President