The majority of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have rejected what is reportedly Canada Post's "final" offer.
A news bulletin from the union Friday (Aug. 1) said that after almost two weeks of voting, the two bargaining units 鈥� the rural and suburban works and the urban workers 鈥� have rejected Canada Post's contract offers.
Within the rural and suburban mail carriers unit, 30.6 per cent accepted the offers, while 69.4 per cent rejected them. Within the urban unit, 31.5 per cent accepted the offers, while 68.5 per cent rejected them.
The union now says it's time for Canada Post to "come back to the bargaining table and start seriously negotiating."
The statement adds that the Canadian Union of Postal Workers negotiators are "ready to get back to work right away," and are committed to staying at the table until a deal is reached.
The union added a national overtime ban remains in effect.
Canada Post released its own statement shortly after, noting that it was informed of the vote results by the Canada Industrial Relations Board. It added it was the Crown corporation's "final" offer.
In the statement, Canada Post said the vote result "does not lessen the urgent need to modernize and protect this vital national service."
"However, it does mean the uncertainty that has been significantly impacting our business 鈥� and the many Canadians and Canadian businesses who depend on Canada Post 鈥� will continue. We are evaluating our next steps."
, released publicly in May, recommended that Canada Post phase out daily door-to-door delivery for individual homes, among other things. The final report was released to Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers after hearings held earlier this year into the issues facing Canada Post and the union.
Commissioner William Kaplan was tasked with examining the current collective bargaining dispute and the positions of Canada Post and the union, specifically looking at: the financial situation of Canada Post, the company's need to diversify or alter its delivery models, the union's negotiated commitments to job security and full-time employment and the need to protect the health and safety of employees.
The report notes that Canada Post is facing an existential crisis and is "effectively insolvent, or bankrupt." The union attributed the financial situation to bad business decisions by Canada Post, but Kaplan didn't fully agree.
