OTTAWA - The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is calling Canada Post’s decision to appeal a decision by a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal in a 22-year old pay equity complaint a disgrace. On October 7, the Tribunal awarded at least $150-million in pay and interest to about 6,000 current and former Canada Post clerical workers.

"Canada Post had filed its appeal with the Federal Court within minutes of the Tribunal officially releasing its decision," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "They obviously never had any intention of abiding by the decision and paying what they owe."

According to Turmel, the appeal is very disappointing but not a surprise. "From the beginning, Canada Post has shown no interest in dealing with the union’s complaint or meeting their obligations under the law. They refused to cooperate with the Canadian Human Rights investigation and they admitted before the Tribunal that they provided inaccurate information."

"To date, not one of Canada Post’s legal challenges has been successful, either before the Tribunal or in Court," says Richard Des Lauriers, President of the PSAC’s Union of Postal Communications Employees component. "This is clearly just another attempt to delay the process even more and to avoid owning up to their pay equity debt to our current and former members."

PSAC’s case against Canada Post is the longest running federal pay equity complaint to date. It is an example of everything that is wrong with the current pay equity legislation.

The legislation puts the onus on individual women or unions to file complaints and prove their employers are discriminating. Employers are not compelled to provide accurate, timely information or to cooperate with investigations. The Canadian Human Rights Commission doesn’t have the staff to deal with, much less investigate, complaints in a timely way. Employers can drag out the Tribunal process indefinitely and try to exhaust the resources of the complainants with legal challenges.

"The government’s own Pay Equity Task Force issued a report back in May 2004 that accurately described the hurdles faced by women in the federal sector seeking pay equity," says Turmel. "While the current law obliges employers to pay equal pay for work of equal value, there is no onus on them to prove that they are doing so and no penalties if they do not."

The Canada Post case gives the Liberal government yet one more compelling reason to act quickly to introduce new proactive pay equity legislation, as recommended by the Task Force. PSAC is once again calling on Prime Minister Martin and Justice Minister Cotler to bring in new legislation this fall.

"Even before the legislation is introduced, the government, as a gesture of good faith, should direct Canada Post to withdraw their appeal and close the book on a case that has covered two decades" says Turmel. "By the time this appeal is heard, the complaint will be close to the quarter-century mark. Just how long do women have to wait for justice?"

OTTAWA - A Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) pay equity complaint has resulted in a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal awarding pay equity adjustments and interest worth at least $150-million to about 6,000 current and former clerical workers employed by Canada Post Corporation.

"It has taken the union and its members at Canada Post over 22 years to reach this day," says PSAC National President Nycole Turmel. "While it has been a long haul, the union’s complaint that Canada Post was not paying equal pay for work of equal value has been upheld."

The national website has a chronology of significant events and answers to some questions about the impact of the Human Rights Tribunal decision. The decision iself can be read here. All links

The Tribunal has awarded pay equity adjustments to clerical workers retroactive to August 24, 1982. It has also awarded simple interest, retroactive to the same date, based on Canada Savings Bonds rates. Any interest that accumulates from October 7, 2005 will be calculated at the Court of Justice rate. In addition, the adjustments will apply to benefits such as pensions, overtime and acting pay.

"If there is a downside to this decision, it is that Canada Post has benefited from its lack of cooperation with the complaint investigation process," says Turmel. "While the Tribunal has supported our pay equity claim, concerns were raised over the quality of the job data, a direct result of Canada Post’s total failure to proactively investigate and deal with the complaint and to cooperate with the investigation process. These concerns led the Tribunal to award 50% of what the union and the Canadian Human Rights Commission calculated was owed to our members.

According to Turmel, "There is clearly an incentive for employers not to cooperate in the current process if it means they can cut their losses. It is also further proof, if any more was needed, that a new proactive pay equity law is needed now."

While the case has already taken over 22 years, it is not over yet. Canada Post has 30 days in which to file an appeal.

"Women should not have to fight for decades for economic equality," says Turmel. "The Liberal government can take two big steps to address this situation. Canada Post Corporation can announce that they will not appeal the Tribunal’s decision. The government can give us a date for the introduction during this session of Parliament of a new proactive pay equity law based on the Report of the government’s own Pay Equity Task Force. I call on them both to do so without delay."

PSAC filed its complaint in 1983, comparing the female-dominated clerical group with the male dominated Postal Operations (PO) group. It took almost 10 years for the Canadian Human Rights Commission to investigate the complaint and refer it to a Human Rights Tribunal.

The Tribunal was finally set up in 1992. It took eleven years, 415 days of hearings, 1,000 exhibits and over 44,000 pages of testimony before the hearing process concluded in August 2003. The Tribunal has been preparing its decision since then.

This decision follows other large PSAC pay equity gains. A 1999 settlement with the federal government provided over $4-billion in pay equity and interest payments to over 200,000 current and former PSAC members. In 2000, PSAC members employed by the Government of the Northwest Territories received about $50-million as a result of their pay equity complaint.

Download the petition below, and stop the closure of the postal plant in Quebec City and the elimination of 302 jobs.

The postal system is a public service and this will be the first of many plant closures if this is successful. There is a new president at Canada Post, Moya Greene. She is known for her ability to chop, delete and dismantle large organizations.

upce_petition_quebec.pdf

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal will issue a ruling this fall on a pay equity complaint filed 28 years ago by 2,000 Canada Post employees.

An agency aide confirmed the decision will be made, some two years after hearings ended. "The decision in this file will be announced this fall," said Nicole Bacon.

The complex case required 417 days of hearings between 1992 and June 2003. The tribunal hasn't reached a decision until now because of the many documents two members of the panel were required to read following the hearings, said Bacon.

Last June, Nycole Turmel, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, intervened because several postal employees had been waiting 22 years to learn if they won their case against the Crown agency.

On Wednesday, April 6, PSAC and Canada Post officially signed the new collective agreement. Terms of the 46 months agreement are in effect as of today, except where otherwise specified. Wage increases are retroactive to October 31, 2004.

February 11th

OTTAWA - The 2,500 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) working at Canada Post have accepted by a slim 55% majority the final offer tabled by their employer on December 17, 2004.

 “Such lukewarm support is an accurate reflection of the simmering discontent of a large number of Canada Post employees,” said Luc Guevremont, President of the PSAC’s Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE). “That was the majority decision. We respect it despite the fact that we had recommended rejection of the offer which contains several rollbacks.”

According to Guevremont, the union must continue its fight if it wants to obtain satisfaction concerning unresolved issues such as treatment of surplus employees, staffing, benefits package and bargaining unit work. 

Highlights of the final offer made by Canada Post are: a 2.4% wage hike retroactive to October 31, 2004; wage increases of 2.4% in 2005, 2.5% in 2006 and 2.5% in 2007 for a forty-six (46) month contract; and job security for permanent employees upon ratification of the collective agreement.

PSAC members at Canada Post provide customer service and perform administrative, financial, technical and professional duties.

Final Offer Vote Times and Locations:

Vancouver: Thursday, January 27th, YWCA Royal Bank Room, 733 Beatty St, 11AM, 12 noon and 5PM

Richmond: Friday, January 28th, Mayfair Lakes Golf Club Boardroom, 5460 No. 7 Road, 11AM and 12 noon.

Janet May and Shelly MacKintosh will give a presentation at the indicated times.

Click for more photos

December 22nd

The UPCE Bargaining Team was presented with a comprehensive final offer from Canada Post, which still contains many rollbacks and do not address our key issues. Read the updates at the national website.

More strike photos from Vancouver have been posted!

Lines were up again at 5:30 am. I talked to the morning squad about where we were at, which provinces were out and our strategy for the day. Employee entrances had tighter lines, but the delay of trucks is still the popular event. A few CUPW drivers have been refusing to drive across the lines, so they would get out, then a supervisor or another non-CUPW worker would drive the truck across the lines, then CUPW drivers would get back in once the truck is across. Lots of impact and energy! Picket squad shifts have already changed over with the current strategy still in place.

- Monica Urrutia, A/Regional Rep., Vancouver RO

Ottawa - On day seven of their strike, more than 700 PSAC members working at Canada Post are targeting the Atlantic and the West today. The members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada will picket the following cities: in the Maritimes: St.John's (Nfld), Antigonish, Halifax, North Sydney, Saint-John (NB), Moncton and Fredericton; in the West: Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Victoria, and Vancouver.

"While talks continue with Canada Post, we have decided to increase the pressure on the employer by having picket lines in several cities at the same time," explains Luc Guevremont, president of PSAC's Union of Postal Communications Employees. "Canada Post management must understand that our members will not accept less than what was negotiated with other employees."

In November, the 2,500 PSAC members at Canada Post voted 73% in favour of strike action, which began on December 9. Negotiations with Canada Post started last July. The outstanding issues include health benefits, severance pay, various leaves, job security, staffing of positions and wages.

The PSAC members at Canada Post provide customer service and perform administrative, financial, technical and professional duties.

Click for more photos

December 14th : via email

Lines were up at 5:30 am this morning at Vancouver. The members were up early and very energetic! There were four picket squads for the first shift (approximately 40 members). They focused on the three employee entrances handing out leaflets to CUPW members, and other workers entering the office (as the public customer service area is not yet open) and "walking slowly" in front of the truck exit gate to slow down any trucks / vans leaving. Truck delay is the most popular activity for the first shift.

CUPW members are supportive. Labour relations has been down to the line and a picket captain reported that management may have been taking photographs.

The lines should be up in Richmond (shift was to start at 8 am). Jim Little (A/Regional Representative) is out there to help out the line and work out our last-minute washroom and parking challenges.

- Monica Urrutia, A/Regional Rep., Vancouver RO

December 13th : via email

As you may be aware UPCE started rotating strike action across the country last Thursday. Last week lines were up at Fredericton and Antigonish, then Edmonton. Today, they are on the line in Ottawa. While BC has not yet been called to the lines there is something that all PSAC members can do to support UPCE brothers and sisters.

Many UPCE members are in 3 Contact Centres and the National Philatelic Centre, and deal with Canada Post customers. What would have a profound affect on Canada Post and would really help the UPCE members on strike, would be for all PSAC members and their family and friends to call the following work areas at the toll free #'s provided below. Our information shows that calls received last week have impacted Canada Post service!

During breaks or lunch please take a few minutes and make a few calls to these numbers below at any time. You may wish to inquire about everything from tracing a parcel to how much something would cost. Also as important when you get home after work or before reporting to work take 5 or 10 minutes of your time during these intervals and call these numbers identified, this will make a huge impact, and help our UPCE members who are on strike. It will take just a few minutes a day please. We know that you have hectic lives and workplaces, but it would be so beneficial to the members in UPCE.

8:30am Commercial 1 800 260-7678  AND   
5:00pm Commercial 1 800 260-7678 

8:00am Customer Service 1 800 267-1177 English AND
6:00pm Customer Service 1 800 267-1155 French

9:00am RSC order desk 1 800 267-1592 option 2  AND      
5:30pm RSC order desk 1 800 267-1592 option 2

9:30am track and trace 1 888 550-6333  and
6:00pm track and trace 1 888 550-6333 

10:00am NPC order desk 1 800 565-436233 AND
6:30pm NPC order desk 1 800 565-4362

Time is of the essence. UPCE sisters and brothers need your help to continue to put pressure on Canada Post to get a negotiated settlement as soon as possible!

In Solidarity, Monica Urrutia, A/Regional Representative, PSAC Vancouver Regional Office

December 9th

As of 6:00 a.m. this morning, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) working at Canada Post offices in Fredericton N-B, and Antigonish N.S. began rotating strike action which will soon impact all points of service at Canada Post.

We are asking members to contact the Post Office and let them know if you are unhappy with progress in negotiating a fair collective agreement that reflects the work of workers of this organization, and to help support those of us on strike, and the team.

Please find listed phone numbers, that may be of assistance to you, and contact your local Member of Parliament to voice your concerns how this employer has issued record profits and are negotiating concessions to the workers of this organization.

Please find listed 800 numbers:

• NCC - COMPUTER HELP DESK 1-877-411-8585
• CUST SERVICE HELPLINE (EN) 1-800-267-1177
• CUST SERVICE HELPLINE (FR) 1-800-267-1155
• TRACK AND TRACE 1-888-550-6333
• INTERNET ORDERS 1-800-841-8909
• NATIONAL PHILATELIC CENTRE 1-800-565-4362
• RETAIL SERVICE CENTRE 1-800-267-1592
• BUSINESS SALES CENTRE (DIST 40) 1-888-550-6333
• BUSINESS SALES CENTRE (DIST 40) 1-800-260-7678
• VENTURE ONE 1-877-262-5762
• STAMP QUEST 1-800-565-2582

Thank you for supporting the brothers and sisters of Union of Postal Communications Employees.  Please check the PSAC National Web Site for updates.

In Solidarity, Jeannie Baldwin, REVP-Atlantic Region

December 9th

Ottawa - As of 6:00 a.m. this morning, members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) working at Canada Post offices in Fredericton N-B, and Antigonish N.S. began rotating strike action which will soon impact all points of service at Canada Post.

“Strike action became inevitable due to the wholly unreasonable series of rollbacks asked of the 2500 PSAC members by Canada Post,” said Luc Guevremont, President of the PSAC component Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE).

“This is the tenth consecutive year of record profits at Canada Post. Despite this, they want to impose a collective agreement on our members that is inferior to all other agreements reached with other employees at Canada Post.  Compounding this inequality, they are attempting to increase employee contributions while reducing overall benefits to our members. Our members have categorically rejected this discriminatory offer,” Guevremont added.

The employer has tabled proposals that contain rollbacks on health benefits, severance pay, various leaves and more. Other outstanding issues include job security as well as staffing of positions and salaries. 

Last November, the 2500 PSAC members at Canada Post voted 73% in favour of undertaking strike action - a higher mandate from when PSAC members were last forced to undertake strike action back in 2001.

 “Once again, Canada Post management is targetting a group largely comprised of women” said Patty Ducharme, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President for British Columbia, responsible for negotiations with Canada Post. “While agreements offering 3% per year have already been negotiated for other employees, Canada Post management has offered a paltry offer of 2.25%, 2.25%, 2.4% and 2.4% per year for the next four years to PSAC members. It’s hardly surprising that this has resulted in strike action by our members and is bound to lead to service disruptions during the important pre-Christmas period,” Ducharme added. “We are optimistic that the work disruption will be short-lived, given that it is the highest mail volume period of the year.”

The 2,500 PSAC members at Canada Post provide customer service and perform administrative, financial, technical and professional duties. Two thirds of this group is composed of women.

OTTAWA, Nov. 26 /CNW Telbec/ - Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada working at Canada Post voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action and are prepared to walk the picket line as early as December 8 if they don't get a fair collective agreement soon.

The president of the PSAC component Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE), Luc Guevremont, indicated that 73% said yes to strike action at Canada Post after the PSAC negotiating team reported that management was asking for a series of rollbacks without addressing any of the members' priority proposals.

Read more at newswire.ca (link opens in new window).

Ottawa—Postal services in Canada could be facing some difficulties during the crucial pre-Holidays period if Canada Post continues to disrespect its employees, according to PSAC’s Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE) , the union representing Canada Post’s 2,500 administrative, clerical, technical and professional employees.

Read more at psac.com.

Click for the UPCE negotiations update.