With the Canadian Union of Postal Workers rejecting Canada Post’s final contract offer, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has called for the government to prevent further strikes.
CFIB president Dan Kelly urged the government to extend the existing collective bargaining agreement “for the foreseeable future.” He also recommended that the government grant Canada Post full authority to deliver major reforms necessary to its financial sustainability.
“This will likely require tough decisions, including back-to-work legislation orders. CFIB is calling on all political parties to support the reforms suggested in the Industrial Inquiry report to allow this important service to continue for the long term,” Kelly said in a statement.
The union’s final decision after two votes was announced on August 1. According to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, 68.5 percent of ballots cast by urban postal operation workers, numbering 23,440, shot the offer down in the first vote; in the second vote, 69.4 percent of rural and suburban mail carriers rejected the offer. The turnouts in the first and second votes were 80.4 percent and 82.8 percent, respectively.
Per CBC News, Canada Post’s final offer to the workers included wage increases of about 13 percent over four years. However, it also would have added part-time workers, which Canada Post said was needed to maintain the postal service.
CUPW national president Jan Simpson had encouraged unionized workers to vote against the proposal and slammed federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu for pushing for a vote, according to CBC News. Talks were held between the CUPW and Canada Post for over a year and a half prior to the vote, which began on July 21.
After the union's decision was revealed, Canada Post indicated in a statement that it exacerbated the current uncertainty for businesses.
“This result does not lessen the urgent need to modernize and protect this vital national service. However, it does mean the uncertainty that has been significantly impacting our business – and the many Canadians and Canadian businesses who depend on Canada Post – will continue,” the company said in a statement on its website.
Kelly said that the lack of resolution to the postal workers’ strike “just brings more uncertainty at a time when small businesses are already struggling to plan ahead.”
“We can’t keep doing this. If there’s another strike, two in three businesses may walk away from Canada Post permanently,” he said.
The CUPW represents approximately 55,000 postal service workers in Canada.