Canada Post laying off postal workers amid strike, but says it’s temporary
Canada Post confirmed on Thursday it is laying off some striking postal workers as the nationwide work stoppage hits the two-week mark, but said the action is temporary.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) posted in a bulletin to members Monday that the company was calling workers across the country to lay them off, and claimed some of the layoffs “may be more permanent.”
A Canada Post spokesperson said in a statement to Global News on Thursday that all layoffs are temporary as the strike continues, which has “significantly impacted” business at the mail carrier.
“We have taken steps to adjust our operations,” the statement said. “That means the previously expired collective agreements no longer apply and their terms and conditions of employment for employees have therefore changed.”
The CUPW bulletin, attributed to national grievance officer Carl Girouard, claimed any layoff action during a strike was a violation of the Canada Labour Code’s provisions against employer interference during legally-protected job action.
Canada Post said the temporary layoffs are allowed under the labour code, citing the expired collective agreement.
The CUPW said Monday the layoffs were “merely a scare tactic” by the company and urged members “not to panic if you receive such a call.”
Neither the union nor Canada Post provided details on the extent of the layoffs.
The dispute between Canada Post and 55,000 striking postal workers reached a standstill Wednesday after the special mediator appointed by the federal government temporarily suspended his work.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the mediator had concluded the parties were too far apart to reach a deal on a new contract. He urged both sides to “come back to the
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