Canada Post workers on the picket line in Red Deer. (Contributed photo/ Bill Kilsby)

By Ian Gustafson

Postal strike

Federal government moves for Canada Post workers to return to work

Dec 13, 2024 | 12:10 PM

The Canadian government is pushing to end the nearly month-long Canada Post strike.

On Friday morning federal labour minister Steven MacKinnon asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to send the 55,000 striking postal workers back to work until May in hopes of delivering mail as early as next week.

Mackinnon says the country has suffered because of the strike and hopes the board can come to a decision quickly. He also announced the government made an inquiry to determine why Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers cannot come to an agreement.

In a statement from Canada Post, they explained they’re currently reviewing the details of the announcement to make sure they are prepared to fully participate in the process and comply with the minister’s directive.

While the process continues, they said they look forward to their employees returning to work to serve Canadians.

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“Our commitment has always been to reach negotiated agreements with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that would help us better serve the changing needs of Canadians and provide good jobs to those who provide the service. We remain committed to doing so within this new process while also meeting the postal needs of Canadians,” as stated in the release.

The CUPW Local 818 in Red Deer, said they’re not ready to comment quite yet as they figure out their next steps.

However, according to a media release from the CUPW, the Union said the CIRB will hear from the parties as soon as possible and if they determine the parties cannot reach an agreement, the CIRB will order the Union back to work.

“The Union denounces in the strongest terms this assault on our constitutionally protected right to collectively bargain and to strike,” the CUPW wrote in a release.

“This order continues a deeply troubling pattern in which the government uses its arbitrary powers to let employers off the hook, drag their feet, and refuse to bargain in good faith with workers and their unions. This is a rapidly developing situation, and we have not had time to review all of the details. Once we receive the order, we will review it and consider every available option moving forward.”

– With files from the Canadian Press