As the Canada Post strike nears the three-week mark, the federal labour minister called the nationwide mail stoppage “highly disrespectful” of Canadians.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday, Steven MacKinnon said he has been in regular contact with special mediator, Peter Simpson, to see where both parties stand after mediated talks were temporarily suspended last week.
“I’ve been in daily discussions with … the mediator who is shuttling between the parties to see if there is a reasonable prospect that mediation, if it resumes, it will succeed. He has not yet given me that advice,” MacKinnon said.
“The parties are still very far apart, and that is in my view, among other things, highly disrespectful of Canadian who are suffering through this work stoppage, small businesses, people in rural and remote communities who rely on Canada Post’s services and these parties have to knuckle down and get the work done.”
By Wednesday, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business had estimated that the postal strike, which began on Nov. 15, would have cost small- and medium-sized businesses more than $1 billion.
As the strike continues, the federal government has been urged by some, including the CFIB and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, to step in.
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MacKinnon has so far resisted those calls and reiterated on Wednesday that he’s “not contemplating an intervention.”
“As I’ve explained before, these are negotiations that have to be concluded between the parties, they rest on fundamental issues that separate these two parties.”
Higher wages, better medical benefits and changes to the postal service’s use of temporary workers are at the heart of the union’s demands at the bargaining table.
Canada Post said in a statement on Sunday that it had presented the union with a “comprehensive framework for reaching negotiated agreements” and that it remained committed to finding a resolution to the labour dispute.
“It is our hope that these proposals will reignite discussions and, together with the support of mediators, help the parties work toward final agreements,” Phil Legault, a Canada Post spokesperson said.
CUPW said on Tuesday that its national executive board had met to discuss that offer and its response focuses on four key issues: wages, working conditions, retirement and expansion of public postal services.
For more on the specifics of what Canada Post workers want, read here.
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