A critical mass of Transport Service Drivers have now signed CUPW union cards in an organizing campaign that ended October 31. Throughout thirty-one intensive days, CUPW organizers, locals and regional coordinators spoke to hundreds of Transport Service Drivers from coast to coast to coast about their working conditions and the union advantage.

Objectives

CUPW believes Combined Urban Service, Highway Service, Priority Courier Delivery and Shuttle Service drivers are employees of Canada Post and should be covered by a single national collective agreement. Right now, the working conditions for Transport Service Drivers vary greatly because workers are employed by so many different companies with Canada Post contracts.

The union intends to file a single employer application with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) arguing that Transport Service Drivers actually work for Canada Post and should be able to negotiate with one collective voice.

A complete picture

This campaign has allowed the union to gain the most complete picture of Canada Post’s transport contracting-out networks we’ve ever had. During the last round of negotiations we received information from some locals about Transport Service Driver contracts. After this campaign, we have a real picture of the number of drivers and their locations and working conditions.

Next steps

Many Transport Service Drivers joined CUPW throughout the campaign. The union now has five months to file an application with the CIRB to be the bargaining agent for these workers.

In the meantime, the union has created a framework in which to communicate with these new members. The union has divided the country into 54 separate geographic zones. A local representative will work with Transport Service Drivers in each zone to help with their workplace issues, build a file for the CIRB and begin preparing demands for national-level negotiations.

Organizing benefits us all

Transport Service Drivers perform work that is very similar to that of Mail Service Couriers in the urban postal bargaining unit. But these drivers have lower wages, fewer benefits and in many cases, no protections. Our union can help change that.

While organizing workers in the postal sector improves their working conditions, it is also key to improving our working conditions. Having a unionized postal sector reduces the incentive for Canada Post to make profit on the backs of workers.The stronger our collective voices are, the easier it is to negotiate improvements for everyone.