The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has filed an unfair labour practice complaint against Canada Post over ongoing contract negotiations, as the union scrambles to overcome bargaining pushback from both management and its membership.
The union alleges in the complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board that the Crown corporation is bargaining directly with members, interfering with the union’s exclusive bargaining rights and trying to discredit the union’s reputation, all allegations that Canada Post has denied.
Among the union’s main concerns are that Canada Post has pointed members to a website that provides updates on negotiations, and is updating offers based on online feedback, in what the union says is an effort to bypass its intermediary role.
The union alleges that the website also uses alarmist wording and misinformation to call into question the reputation of the union and intimidate and coerce union members.
“The union is asking the CIRB to order Canada Post to stop this interference, level the playing field by giving the union opportunity to rebut the employer’s misinformation on their platforms and order damages to the union and members,” said lead negotiator Lana Smidt in a bulletin.
The Crown corporation rejects all the allegations, said spokeswoman Lisa Liu.
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“Canada Post places a great importance on keeping employees informed, especially on something as important to them as the collective bargaining process.”
She said in the statement that employers are allowed to express views and communicate with employees during collective bargaining.
“Canada Post has exercised this right responsibly, delivering accurate, neutral and factual information. Employees have a right to understand what is being proposed.”
She said the postal service has at no time negotiated directly with employees and remains fully committed to concluding collective agreements through the proper channels.
In its complaint, the union cited an industrial relations board precedent stating an employer “may not make inappropriate selling pitches to employees over the head of the union.”
It raised further concerns with how Canada Post has released information — via printouts, QR codes on post office TV screens and hand-held data terminals “accompanied by a sound alarm,” for example — as well as how quickly it has sent out updates publicly after providing them to the union.
The complaint also exposes divisions within the postal ranks and pushback against union strategy.
“Union representatives have been working very hard to reassure regional and local leadership and the membership to counteract the loss of confidence for the union resulting of Canada Post’s direct bargaining campaign,” the Tuesday filing reads.
“A significant amount of their time and focus are now being spent justifying the union’s positions instead of working toward the conclusion of collective agreements through bargaining.”
Canada Post and the roughly 55,000-member CUPW have been working to reach a deal for some 18 months.
On Wednesday, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu called on Canada Post and the union to return to the bargaining table and hash out terms for binding arbitration as well as continue to try to reach a negotiated settlement.
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