For Immediate Release               November 29, 2001

Canada Post continues to delay negotiations to avoid strike action

OTTAWA - Public Service Alliance of Canada members working at Canada Post are fed up with their employer’s delaying tactics at the bargaining table.

"This is nothing more than manipulation of the time-frame for strike action," says Luc Guèvremont, president of the PSAC Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE). "However, their delaying tactics will merely increase the frustration with our membership, who are determined to fight for a fair and equitable collective agreement," adds Guèvremont.

When conciliation talks ended yesterday the employer, despite promises made, had not responded to the union’s monetary issues. "Instead, Canada Post insulted our negotiating team, as well as all members of UPCE, by informing us through the conciliator that they would be replying on all outstanding issues in a global offer on Monday, December 3^rd. "Clearly the employer is not respecting the negotiating process."

Conciliation resumed on November 27 with Conciliator Jacques Lessard at which time the PSAC team continued to push for improvements to the members’ terms and conditions of employment, including staffing. During this session, the team received the employer’s response to the union’s demands on ‘no contracting-out’ – they were not willing to move on the issue of Work in the Bargaining Unit.

"As this was a priority demand, the bargaining team requested the conciliation officer to ‘book out’, declaring the parties to be at an impasse," Guèvremont adds. "However, at that time as well as at the end of the sessions on November 28, Lessard felt there had not been a full discussion of the monetary issues."

"It is time Canada Post showed these workers, two-thirds of whom are women, respect. It is time to put a stop to the employer’s discriminatory attitude towards them. It is time Canada Post provides these workers with protection of bargaining unit work, protection against contracting-out of their work, and improvements to their conditions of employment," concludes Guèvremont.

The 2,800 PSAC/UPCE members are currently mobilizing to send a clear message to Canada Post President and CEO Andre Ouellet that they are not prepared to accept a package of scraps discarded from the Canada Post boardroom table.

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For information: Luc Guèvremont, president, PSAC/UPCE, (613)560-4342

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