Canada
Post fi les for
conciliation
OTTAWA — Canada Post
filed notices of dispute with the
Minister of Labour in ongoing
negotiations with the Cana-
dian Union of Postal Workers
(CUPW).
The notices request a con-
ciliator be appointed to Can-
ada Post's negotiations with
CUPW-Urban and with Rural
and Suburban Mail Carriers
(RSMC).
The collective agreement
between Canada Post and
CUPW-RSMC expired on Dec.
31, 2015. The collective agree-
ment between Canada Post and
CUPW-Urban expired on Jan.
1, 2016.
The terms and conditions of
both agreements continue to
apply as the parties attempt to
reach an agreement.
According to Canada Post,
the notices were filed because
progress has not been made on
key issues, despite the fact the
parties have been meeting since
2015.
In a press release, the em-
ployer said it hopes a neutral
party will stimulate "construc-
tive discussion and accelerate
the negotiations process."
The union, however, called
the filing a "cynical attempt to
provoke a labour dispute."
"This is unprecedented in our
history," said Mike Palecek, na-
tional president of CUPW.
"Canada Post has not even
finished giving us their de-
mands and they are already
preparing to push matters to a
head."
According to the union,
Canada Post is calling for sig-
nificant concessions, including
rollbacks on pensions, benefits
and job security. The union al-
leges Canada Post negotiators
have refused to consider any of
its proposals.
Public Health
Ontario
reaches
tentative
agreement
TORONTO — Public Health
Ontario and the Ontario Pub-
lic Health Service Employees
Union (OPSEU) reached a ten-
tative agreement after 12 hours
of mediation.
The deal — which affects OP-
SEU Local 863 members in Pub-
lic Health Ontario labs across the
province — includes improve-
ments to wages and leave.
OPSEU represents workers
at 16 Public Health Ontario labs
and offices across Ontario.
Employees provide a wide
range of clinical and environmen-
tal testing, including food-borne
illness testing and drinking-water
testing.
Additionally, employees in-
vestigate outbreaks and perform
tests when bioterrorism is sus-
pected.
LABOUR BRIEFS
2
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Steel workers — members of Germany's industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp AG — walk with crosses
and carry a coffi n as they demonstrate for higher wages.
LABOUR LENS
Photo:
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