February 2, 2012

On 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 ...

January 30, 2012

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. ...

January 30, 2012

Dear 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 ...

January 28, 2012

We 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. ...

January 19, 2012

February 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. ...

January 17, 2012

The 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. ...

January 11, 2012

On December 7, 2011, Canada Post advised CUPW of its intention to have lead hands ask employees for personal information such as personal addresses, home and cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses. The Corporation says it needs this to contact employees for security reasons or to ensure continuity of postal service in an emergency. The Corporation tried to collect such information in June 2010 and then again in April 2011, but abandoned its attempts, supposedly for technical reasons. Coincidentally, ...

December 21, 2011

Negotiations with the employer will not be completed before the current collective agreement's December 31, 2011 expiry. However, this does not mean that members are left without collective agreement protections while negotiations continue. Clause 36.05 of the agreement indicates that the provisions of the collective agreement remain in full force and effect until either the parties have negotiated a new collective agreement or the requirements of section 89 (1) of the Canada Labour Code have ...

December 14, 2011

CUPW believes that transgender workers have the right to be treated with equality, dignity and respect in their homes, in their workplaces, in their union and in their communities. That is why the National Human Rights Committee is seeking several CUPW members, who identify as transgender, to become members of our National Human Rights Committee. ...

December 14, 2011

At our National Convention in October, CUPW delegates unanimously adopted an important resolution to help end systemic violence against Aboriginal women. The statistics are horrifying •Aboriginal women are 3.5 times more likely to experience violence than non-Aboriginal women. •Aboriginal women are 8 times more likely to be victims of spousal homicide than non-Aboriginal women. •Over 600 Aboriginal, Inuit and Métis women and girls in Canada and Quebec have gone missing ...

December 14, 2011

We are fast approaching the end of 2011. It will be a year we all remember, one characterized by action and solidarity. Throughout the last few months, we have grown stronger in the struggle to keep our universal public postal service. We have stood up to the underhanded attacks of the employer and the Harper Government and led the battle as one. What a year! ...

December 14, 2011

Following the first meeting between the Union and the employer on November 10, 2011, at which each party presented their opening statement, the parties have had approximately five (5) meetings at the sub-committee level. At these meetings the Union presented more detail to the employer about the Union’s package of demands. The demands discussed included those dealing with improved seniority rights (demands 43 – 47 in the August 2011 Perspective), Union Protection and Members’ Rights ...

December 1, 2011

Clerical and administrative workers at Canada Post have achieved a remarkable victory. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled in favour of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) in a pay equity case that was originally filed 28 years ago. PSAC first filed a complaint about unequal pay at Canada Post in 1983. In 2005, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal upheld the complaint. Canada Post subsequently used every possible legal avenue to have the tribunal’s decision overturned. On November ...

December 1, 2011

Prime Minister Stephen Harper wants to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). The Wheat Board provides a fair, reliable and cost-effective service to farmers. The very existence of the CWB provides stability to rural communities in uncertain times. Harper’s attack on the Canadian Wheat Board will hurt small farmers and rural communities. It will transfer wealth created by farmers to big private, often foreign-owned grain companies instead of being returned to farmers and spent in their ...

November 30, 2011

The Negotiating Committees of the Union and the Employer met on November 10, 2011, at which time they each presented their opening statements. A copy of the opening statement presented by the Union may be found on the Union’s website. ...

November 17, 2011

Four important dates are coming up in the struggle for equality: •December 1 - World Aids Day •December 3 - International Day of Disabled Persons •December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada •December 10 - International Human Rights Day ...

November 7, 2011

Over 600 delegates worked long hours, discussing issues and making decisions at CUPW’s National Convention in October. Delegates elected union representatives and committee members. They also passed an Action Plan that outlines what CUPW is going to do over the next three and a half years to build the union, regain the right to strike and fight for the future of public postal service and jobs. ...

November 4, 2011

Are you committed to communicating the advantages of unionization to non-union workers? Do you believe wholeheartedly that every worker in the postal sector deserves a safe, well-paid, fair job? Have you been involved in union or community organizing campaigns? If you answered yes, you should consider applying to be a CUPW Organizing Coordinator. ...

November 3, 2011

Convention is over, but the struggle goes on. Delegates from all over the country have sent a clear message to Canada Post and the Harper government: We will fight to the end to get back our right to negotiate and our right to strike. ...

November 3, 2011

The Union has recently received the interest arbitrator’s final decision concerning the negotiations between the parties under the terms of the initial collective agreement. In his award the arbitrator made the following rulings: ...

November 2, 2011

As a result of our 2011 CUPW National Convention, the following have been elected as your National and Regional Officers and Union Representatives. ...

October 25, 2011

On October 20, 2011 the Federal Court of Canada ordered a stay of proceedings in the final offer interest arbitration for urban postal workers. Federal Court, Judge Luc Martineau, ordered Judge Coulter A. Osborne to stay the interest arbitration proceedings until the Federal Court has rendered its final decision on CUPW’s application for judicial review of Labour Minister Raitt’s appointment of Judge Osborne. CUPW is challenging the appointment of Judge Osborne on the basis that he ...

October 18, 2011

Representatives of the Union and the employer met on October 6, 2011 to discuss the impact Arbitrator Keller’s interim decision of September 29, 2011 would have on the financial cap. During these discussions the parties agreed on the following ... ...

October 14, 2011

Around the world people are struggling for fairness and dignity. People are opposing big business agendas that are subverting our democracies. All CUPW members are encouraged to participate in this fightback in many different forms. ...

October 12, 2011

We have now received the ruling from Judge Osborne on the procedure to be followed by the parties as we proceed with the interest arbitration for the urban operations unit. The Union and the Employer disagreed on the interpretation of Bill C-6 concerning the requirement of the parties to submit their lists of the issues agreed to during bargaining and the issues in dispute. The union believes that the law requires the arbitrator to choose a date and then the parties submit their lists of what ...