CUPW Main RSS News Feed

CUPW Main RSS News Feed http://www.cupw.ca The main news feed of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). [cupe 1979/cope 225] en-us Copyright © 2000-2012 Canadian Union of Postal Workers and its licensors. All rights reserved. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:50:38 EST CUPW Main RSS News Feed http://www.cupw.ca/multimedia/rss/en/images/cupw_rss_logo_eng.gif http://www.cupw.ca Federal Court Decision Overturns Minister of Labour’s AppointmentOn January 27, 2012 the Honourable Judge Luc Martineau of the Federal Court in Montreal, Quebec rendered his decision which overturns the Minister of Labour’s July 22nd appointment of the Honourable Coulter A. Osborne. In his decision he upheld the Union’s arguments on the necessary qualifications for a Final offer selection (FOS) arbitrator. He ruled that any of the proceedings or decisions that had transpired under arbitrator Osborne should be quashed on the grounds that the Minister of Labour has unreasonably exercised her discretionary power by ignoring the two essential qualifications required of the arbitrator. He agreed with the Union that any appointed arbitrator would have to be bilingual and have a degree of recognized expertise in labour relations.

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13890/la_id/1Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:30:00 ESTCUPW Concerned Government Could Not Restore Canada Post’s Exclusive Privilege Under Canada-EU Trade Offer Dear Mr. Verheul: CUPW has reviewed Canada's services and investment offer from October 12, 2011, which was recently leaked by the Quebec Network on Continental Integration, and this offer's reservation for postal services under Annex I. CUPW is concerned because the Annex I reservation protects Canada Post's existing exclusive privilege to handle letters, but does not provide the government or a future government with the flexibility to restore Canada Post’s recently abolished exclusive privilege to handle international letters. The Annex I reservation also locks in future liberalisation. If the current or a future government were to further reduce Canada Post's exclusive privilege, it would be irreversible (or at least inconsistent with Canada’s international trade and investment commitments).

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]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13884/la_id/1Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:00:00 ESTPhotos: Student Day of Action - February 1

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13889/la_id/1Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 ESTLetter to Local Presidents about the RSMC Draft Collective AgreementThe draft collective agreement includes the amendments to the collective agreement resulting from the awards of the interest arbitrator and three letters provided by the employer to the Union during the negotiation/arbitration processes. The three letters included provide information about specific portions of the collective agreement.

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]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13886/la_id/1Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 ESTDraft Collective Agreement for Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Canada Post Corporation (January 2012)

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]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13885/la_id/1Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 ESTShort Term Disability Program: Policies and Procedures (RMSC) - DRAFT

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13887/la_id/1Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:00:00 ESTUpdate on Negotiations (RSMC) The Union and the employer have recently had a number of meetings to discuss some of the proposals being made by the employer in the current round of negotiations. A brief explanation of the employer proposals, and the Union’s response, follows.

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13878/la_id/1Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:00:00 ESTRSMC Transition Committee VacancyDear Sisters and Brothers: Brother Chris Pleasants, member of the RSMC Transition Committee, was elected to the position of National Union Representative – grievance and arbitration at our National Convention in October. The National Executive Board has decided there is a need to replace him as a member of the RSMC Transition Committee (Article 34, RSMC Collective Agreement) for the duration of the committee’s mandate. As such, we are soliciting applications from all CUPW members interested in taking on this work. Deadline: February 17, 2012

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13876/la_id/1Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:00:00 ESTCUPW Wins Again: Federal Court Throws Out Lisa Raitt’s ArbitratorFor Immediate Release OTTAWA January 27, 2012 – The union representing the majority of postal workers across the country has notched up another win in its battle against the Harper government’s back-to-work legislation of last summer. A federal court in Montreal has overturned Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt’s appointment of retired judge Coulter Osbourne to arbitrate the labour dispute and ordered Raitt to appoint a bilingual arbitrator with labour relations experience. Osbourne, a unilingual judge with no previous labour experience, resigned in November; had he not done so, this decision, handed down by Judge Martineau, would have cancelled his appointment.

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13875/la_id/1Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 ESTCUPW Wins Federal Court Case on Status of the ArbitratorWe have just received news that the Union has won our legal challenge that the arbitrator appointed to determine the final offer selection arbitration for the Urban Operations Unit must be experienced in labour relations matters and also must be bilingual. This is a major victory for the union. The decision of the Federal Court requires the government to appoint an arbitrator who will be able to properly evaluate the issues and work in both official languages.

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13874/la_id/1Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESTLetter: Canada Post Still Refuses to Make Contingency Plans for Cheque DeliveryDear Mr. Lemelin: I am replying to your letter of December 15, 2011, to Mr. Deepak Chopra, President and Chief Executive Officer, which references the delivery of pension and other social assistance cheques and safety of live animals in the event of a possible work disruption involving Rural. and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) .

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13873/la_id/1Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:00:00 ESTReport on the ITF International Health and Safety Conference (December 12 & 13, 2011, San Francisco, USA) CUPW sent two delegates to this international conference on health and safety, sponsored by the International Federation of Transport (ITF) in conjunction with the American chapter of the Transport Workers Union (TWU). CUPW has been affiliated with the ITF since 2007 . The two-day conference was held in San Francisco (USA). As a result of Canada Post’s opting for greater motorization of its activities, CUPW and its members are increasingly facing transportation-related health and safety problems. This conference would help CUPW obtain information and expertise, particularly on two specific issues on the conference agenda: workplace violence and fatigue. I was accompanied at this conference by Sister Lisa Peterson, a motorized letter carrier from Winnipeg. Sister Peterson has experience and expertise on the working conditions of CUPW members doing this work.

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]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13871/la_id/1Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:00:00 ESTStudent Day of Action - February 1, 2012

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13870/la_id/1Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:00 ESTBlack History MonthFebruary is nationally recognized as a time to acknowledge and learn from the contributions people of African heritage have made to communities and workplaces in Canada.

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13859/la_id/1Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:00:00 ESTUnion Education Program - 2012 SessionThe Union Education Program (UEP) is a four-week residential program. The four sessions are spread over several months. In July 1992, the CUPW became the second union in North America (the Autoworkers were the first) to sign a collective agreement with an employer-paid, worker-controlled education fund. The Union Education Program is paid for out of this fund. This intensive program is an exciting and enriching experience.

]]>http://www.cupw.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/13862/la_id/1Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST