Bargaining

CUPW has had bargaining rights since 1967. The wages, benefits and job security that members enjoy are the product of bargaining. But the union’s success at negotiations comes from having an active and militant membership.

All CUPW contracts guarantee specific wages or wage entitlements, benefits and working conditions. They provide a clear set of rules that applies to everyone. These rules prevent managers from being arbitrary or discriminatory when they assign work, schedule vacations, grant leave for the death of a relative and so on.

Grievances

CUPW’s collective agreement with your employer gives the union the right to submit complaints or grievances on behalf of its members when employer representatives violate contract rules.

For more information, see your collective agreement. To file a grievance for a violation of the contract, contact your shop steward or a local executive member.

Campaigns

CUPW campaigns on a variety of issues, such as childcare, sweatshops and trade agreements.

Organizing

CUPW has organized workers in more than 15 private sector bargaining units. We now represent cleaners, couriers, drivers, vehicle mechanics, warehouse workers, mail house workers, emergency medical dispatchers and bicycle couriers, in addition to postal workers.

Communications

The union keeps members informed about the union’s activities through the newspaper CUPW Perspective, weekly bulletins, the bi-weekly bulletin Post This, and the website (www.cupw-sttp.org).

CUPW produces a number of newsletters including The Rose for women, the Stewards’ Action Bulletin for stewards, and Our Health, Our Safety for health and safety activists.

Education

Union education is a CUPW priority. It’s how we build the union.

CUPW offers several types of education courses to members. It offers short courses at regional education seminars, held on weekends in the spring and fall. It also offers five-day courses on topics such as health and safety, human rights, women’s issues and globalization.

The Union Education Program (UEP), generally regarded as the flagship of CUPW’s education program, is run twice a year. In four one-week sessions spread over several months, 40 participants selected from across the country examine work, union and social justice issues from a working class perspective.

Funding for CUPW’s education program comes from the Union Education Fund in the urban operations collective agreement with Canada Post. Additional funding is provided under some private sector agreements and the Rural and Suburban Mail Courier contract. If your bargaining unit does not have an education fund, you can apply to go to the UEP through the union’s general fund.

All requests to attend the UEP must be made through your local. For more information on the UEP or other courses, contact your local president or local education committee (Section 9.20 of the National Constitution).

Health and Safety

CUPW has a National Health and Safety Committee, which meets at least twice a year. This committee is made up of one member from each region (elected at convention) plus other national and regional union representatives. It is responsible for developing positions on health and safety issues (4.12 of the National Constitution).

Federal, provincial and territorial law states that workers have the right to participate in decisions affecting the workplace through joint union-management health and safety committees or health and safety representatives.

Your collective agreement may give you additional rights relating to committees and other health and safety matters. For more information, contact your local president or local health and safety committee or representative.

Human Rights

CUPW has local and national human rights committees. (Section 4.07 and 9.22 of the National Constitution). The national committee is made up of four working groups: one for aboriginal peoples; one for gay, lesbian, and transgender people; one for people of colour; and one for people with disabilities. The National Human Rights Committee consists of rank and file members and members working full time for the union who belong to any of the above groups. It meets twice a year.

The committee is responsible for investigating a variety of matters, including the level of participation of each group within the union, and making recommendations. The human rights committee submits its recommendations to the union’s National Executive Board. It also reports at national convention every three years.

The union also financially assists members of the above groups to encourage their participation in conferences and other forums related to human rights (Section 7.60 of the National Constitution).

For more information or if you would like to get involved with your local committee, contact your local president or local human rights committee.

Women

CUPW has local and national women’s committees. (Section 4.06 and 9.21 of the National Constitution). The national committee is made up of one woman from each region (elected by women delegates at the union’s national convention) and all women holding national and regional positions within the union. It meets at least twice a year.

The committee is responsible for investigating a variety of matters, including the level of participation of women within the union, and making recommendations. The committee submits its recommendations and the responses of the union’s National Executive Board to the national convention every three years.

The union also provides financial assistance to encourage women’s participation in conferences and other forums related to women’s issues (Section 7.59 of the National Constitution).

For more information or if you would like to get involved with your local committee, contact your local president or women’s committee.

Retired Workers

The union is currently developing a structure for retirees who wish to remain active in the union.

Some CUPW locals have committees that study, educate and recommend on issues relating to pension and retiree benefits.