Canada Post work stoppage: Union ‘politely declines’ arbitration

The union representing Canada’s 50,000 Canada Post workers is saying thanks, but no thanks.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says it will not submit to binding arbitration to resolve an ongoing labour dispute with Canada Post and avoid a work stoppage next week.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers each received a request on Wednesday from federal Labour Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk asking the parties to allow an arbitrator to step in.

The action came just a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government would not be intervening in the dispute with back-to-work legislation.

Canada Post agreed to Mihychuk’s request, announcing that it would extend the deadline for a lock-out to Monday. But on Thursday morning the union “politely declined” the minister’s offer, calling it “a matter of principle.”

READ MORE: Would you be directly affected by a postal disruption?

“We appreciate the offer to help, but paying women equally for work of equal value is the law of the land; it’s not something that can be awarded or withheld by an arbitrator,” said Mike Palecek, national president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We appreciate the offer to help, but paying women equally for work of equal value is the law of the land; it's not something that can be awarded or withheld by an arbitrator," said Mike Palecek, national president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

Palecek’s comment refers to the fact that the union is demanding that Canada Post create an hourly wage for rural and suburban mail carriers, 70 per cent of whom are women. The suburban and rural workers currently earn on average almost 30 per cent less than their mostly male counterparts in the larger urban unit, according to CUPW.

“The union remains hopeful it can reach a negotiated settlement and encourages people to keep using the mail system and participate in the Liberal task force and review for the post office’s future,” Palecek said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The union remains hopeful it can reach a negotiated settlement and encourages people to keep using the mail system and participate in the Liberal task force and review for the post office's future," Palecek said.

“Our members want to work and keep delivering good service to all Canadians.”