Canada - Posties vote 100% for strike mandate

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Canada Post, union have been talking since January

Canada Post employees in North Bay could be dropping their mail bags and picking up picket signs next month.

Local posties voted 100% in favour of a strike mandate. Across the country, more than 46,000 postal workers expressed their frustration with the current contract negotiations and voted 94.5% in favour of a strike mandate.

Conciliation talks have been underway between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and the Crown corporation since January. Contract negotiations started last October when the four-year contract ended in 2010.

"The employer is not negotiating anymore. The first offer is insulting at best. The one offer employees did receive was pages of rollbacks," said Mark Evard, national director for the central region of CUPW.

"They're sitting on their hands waiting to see the results of the strike vote, which sent them a strong statement, and the outcome of the federal election."

According to a statement posted on Canada Post's website, a strike vote does not mean there will be a work stoppage.

"The union has held strike votes during past rounds of collective bargaining without a work stoppage occurring. The union is not in a legal strike position and meetings between Canada Post and CUPW aimed at reaching a new collective agreement continue with the help of a conciliator."

The earliest date that CUPW could go on strike is May 25.

"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," the Canada Post website states.

"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."

But Evard said Canada Post wants to implement a two-tier system in which new hires are paid $17.50 per hour compared to the current starting rate of $23 to $24.

"There's also pension plan issues," he said. "I've been working there for 22 years and I've never seen anything like this."