December 15, 2008
Negotiations with Canada Post
News release
PSAC members reject Canada Post offer
Ottawa – Striking Canada Post workers overwhelmingly rejected their employer's last offer in votes held across the country Saturday and Sunday.
More than two thirds voted against a Canada Post offer that would have replaced the workers' sick leave and family-related leave with a new short-term disability system proposed by the corporation.
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) National President, John Gordon, says the vote sends a clear message to Canada Post chief executive officer Moya Greene, her board and management team.
“In at least two letters to the Union and at the bargaining table, Canada Post management insisted that we present this offer to the members” Gordon said. “We did and the members have overwhelmingly rejected it as we knew they would.”
Canada Post, its Board and Management Team clearly believed that if given an opportunity to vote, our members would accept its offer, particularly after having been on the picket line for more than a month.
Gordon stressed that the ball is in Canada Post's court, and it must review its mandate, drop its demands for concessions and return to the bargaining table.
Gordon says the vote result underscores Canada Post's miscalculation throughout the bargaining process and the resolve of PSAC members.
Rejection of the employer's latest offer by the membership strengthens the union's mandate to negotiate a collective agreement that will better protect the workers' sick leave and family-related leave, according to PSAC.
“Our members at Canada Post are fighting for basic working conditions” says Gordon, “and the PSAC and its 160,000 members are fully committed to supporting the strikers for as long as it takes for them to get a fair collective agreement.”
The collective agreement between UPCE/PSAC and Canada Post expired on August 31, 2008. The union served the employer a notice to bargain on May 1, 2008, and negotiations began on June 4, 2008.
The two sides reached agreement on most issues with the exception the new short-term disability system put forward by the employer.
To schedule media interviews, please contact:
Denis Boivin, PSAC Communications, 613-222-461780-151208
Date Modified : 2010/01/29
