Despite the fact the federal government has announced it will introduce back-to-work legislation to end the labour dispute between Canada Post and 48,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), normal mail service likely won't return to normal until Tuesday or Wednesday.
Federal Labour Minister Lisa Raitt announced Wednesday the federal government will introduce back-to-work legislation before the end of the week to end the labour dispute at Canada Post.
The legislation will end Canada Post's lockout of union workers and force an arbitrated settlement to the dispute.
“They are unable to reach that agreement by themselves,” Raitt said, “even though they have had ample opportunity to do so and much support from this government and from Labour Canada.”
Ottawa had also previously announced it would force a settlement between Air Canada and its striking workers before the two sides reached a tentative deal Thursday.
Because federal back-to-work legislation can only be enacted after giving 48 hours notice, Members of Parliament likely won't be able to pass the bill and end the labour dispute until Monday, meaning regular mail service likely won't resume across the country until Tuesday or Wednesday.
NDP Leader Jack Layton is also on record as saying his party believes the government is making a mistake introducing back-to-work legislation and he and his party prefer the Canada Post management and CUPW leaders reach a negotiated settlement.
Non-unionized employees at Canada Post branches in Bonnyville and Cold Lake were told by their superiors to not accept any new mail or parcels from the public starting Wednesday morning, hours after Canada Post locked out more than 48,000 unionized employees across Canada.
“Due to the current labour dispute, we are unable to accept any parcels or letters,” said an employee at the Bonnyville post office early Wednesday morning, hours after the national lockout began, forcing members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) off the job.
Canada Post management made the decision to lock out workers after members of CUPW had conducted a series of rotating strikes across the country for 12 days.
Employees at the Bonnyville and Cold Lake post offices don't belong to CUPW, but have been told by their superiors to remain open for business even though they are not accepting any parcels or letters from members of the public.
“We're still delivering what was in the system before midnight Tuesday, but after midnight we have been told we're not allowed to accept any new mail,” said a spokesperson at the Cold Lake post office Wednesday morning. “We're still open and serving customers as best we can, but we're not taking any mail until we're told differently.”
