CUPW will not file 72-hour strike notice tonight
June 29, 2016
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
MFL News
As the CUPW Negotiating Committee is currently working to prepare its counter proposal to the CPC global offer, the Union has decided not to file a 72-hour strike notice tonight. This means there will be no strike action undertaken before Monday, July 4th.
CUPW finalizing counter offer
As previously reported, on Saturday, June 25th, CPC presented its first global offer for both the RSMC and Urban Operations bargaining units. In our review of the 350 pages of draft contract language, we have discovered several new proposals never discussed in bargaining, several proposals that are contrary to positions taken by CPC in bargaining and some proposals where the contract language does not correspond with the written summary text. We are continuing to develop our counter-proposals and prepare our global counter offers. More information will be provided as developments occur.
Is CPC rushing to provoke a strike or lockout?
When CPC filed for conciliation so early in negotiations, CUPW issued a press release saying we were concerned CPC was preparing to provoke a labour dispute. We may have been correct.
We should ask why did CPC wait to present its first global offer only one week prior to the parties obtaining the right to strike and lock-out? In fact, after they prepared their offer, they waited to present it to the Union while they prepared all of their communications material including videos and pamphlets. Waiting so long to propose a global offer is unprecedented in the history of negotiations. In 2011, for example, the employer’s first global offer was presented fully 2 ½ months prior to the strike/lock-out date.
The timing of CPC’s offer appears to indicate that they are trying to push us into a dispute or attempting to force us to rush negotiations in the hope we will make errors. If this is their strategy, it will not succeed. We are determined to achieve a negotiated settlement that meets the needs of all postal workers. Nothing will deter us from this objective.