In early June, senior Canada Post Corporation representatives approached CUPW with a proposal to extend the current collective agreements by two years and provide a 2% increase in wages. They stated that the uncertainty of the recovery from the pandemic would make our upcoming negotiations extremely difficult.
The National Executive Board decided that we would not accept CPC’s proposal but would consider pursuing discussions if CPC agreed to:
- An improvement in wages greater than the average being negotiated.
- Improvements in job security and greater opportunities for full-time employment.
- Addressing health and safety.
- Injustices faced by RSMCs.
- The inclusion of service expansion and job creation measures.
- No Rollbacks.
- Any agreement to be subject to ratification of the membership.
The National Executive Board authorized National Grievance Officer Carl Girouard, Prairie Region National Director and Urban Chief Negotiator Lana Smidt, Montreal Region National Director and RSMC Chief Negotiator Nancy Beauchamp, and myself to conduct the discussions with CPC. Throughout the discussions the NEB was kept fully informed of all developments.
The National Executive Board has voted unanimously to recommend to the membership to support the tentative agreements reached with CPC. We believe the agreements include important improvements and addresses important aspects of all of our objectives.
An Overview of the Changes
The following is a very brief overview of the changes which will be included in the new collective agreement if it is ratified by the membership. During the coming days there will be detailed information on all of these changes as well as a full explanation of the voting procedures.
- Duration: The collective agreements will be extended for two years.
- Wages, COLA and Lump Sum: A 2% increase in wages, activity values and variable activities, effective the first day of each additional year. The current COLA formula will remain unchanged however the dates have been updated to reflect the two-year renewal period. There will be a $500.00 one-time non-pensionable lump sum payment made to all full-time urban employees and all RSMCs with 6 or more RMS hours. All other employees, (including temporaries, PREs and OCREs) will receive $250.00. All payments pertaining to the hourly rates referenced in Appendix A will be updated and increased by 2% per year.
- Dates and Dental Benefits: In contract clauses that provide expiry dates the dates will be moved forward by two years. The dental fee guides will be moved forward so that they continue to be one year prior to the year.
- Job Security: For urban workers, the dates in the job security clauses will be moved forward by more than one year. This ensures that all workers obtaining regular positions since June 6, 2020, will be covered by full job security as of the signing of the agreement. There is no change for RSMCs.
- Permanent Jobs in Group 1: CPC has agreed to provide the staffing information required by the Union to enforce the staffing provisions of the collective agreement and create full-time jobs wherever possible.
- Separate Sort and Delivery (SSD): From the date of signature of this agreement, in facilities where the Corporation considers implementing SSD the Parties will examine, before implementation, the possibility of implementing a model inspired by the Deerfoot Urban and RSMC MOAs. These MOAs provided for additional “waves” as an alternative to SSD. The union shall continue to have recourse to the grievance procedure.
- Two Bundle Grievance: The Parties will meet within 30 days of the signing of this Agreement to begin discussions of the settlement of the National Policy Grievance. The arbitrator shall remain seized of the issue if no agreement is reached.
- Maintenance and Routine Repairs of Hybrid and Electric Fleet Vehicles: The Corporation shall give training for the maintenance and routine repairs of hybrid and electric fleet vehicles to the appropriate number of Group 3 and 4 employees that work in with a significant number of these types of vehicles.
- No Claw-Back of Overpayments of PCIs (RSMCs): Effective on the date of signature of the agreement there will be no retroactive recovery of alleged overpayments in relation to the annualized total of Personal Contact Items delivered.
- Hourly Rate of Pay for RSMCs: The Parties have agreed to transition Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers to an hourly rate of pay system, conditional upon the development of an updated approach to the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers’ workload and work content measurement. A Committee will be established to determine these issues, as well as collective agreement changes necessary to fully implement the transition to an hourly rate of pay. In the event the Committee cannot reach agreement by December 31, 2023, outstanding issues shall become part of the next round of bargaining.
- New Financial Services: CPC has committed to the launch of a new financial service in partnership with a Canadian financial institution beginning with a market test in select locations by the end of 2021. Should this market test be deemed successful, the Corporation intends to launch this service nationally in 2022. CPC has also committed to continued discussions on financial services, including communication plans and associated timelines, both within and outside the CUPW-CPC Appendix “T” Steering and Working Committees.
Protecting Our Future and Expanding Our Services
The NEB is submitting this proposal for a two year extension because we believe it address some of the important problems facing the membership. This agreement will provide more jobs and greater economic security. It also clears the path for the expansion of financial services to be provided by Canada Post. This is a goal, which we have spent more than a decade fighting for. Expanded postal banking services will not only extend financial services to millions of people that have been excluded by the traditional banks, it will also ensure that our retail outlets are viable and secure.
More information On the Way
CUPW will be explaining all the components and will provide the complete text of the agreements. Please read the material and come out to vote where there will be further explanation and debate. This will be your turn to decide.
In Solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President