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Canadian Union of Postal Workers

January 01, 1970

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW; French: Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes [STTP]) is a public-sector trade union representing postal workers including letter carriers, rural and suburban mail carriers,[1] postal clerks, mail handlers and dispatchers, technicians, mechanics and electricians employed at Canada Post as well as private sector workers outside Canada Post. Currently comprising upwards of 50,000 members, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has historically been labeled as militant because of some of the actions undertaken since its inception in 1965 to help guarantee rights to all postal workers.[2] According to former president Jean-Claude Parrot, "We succeeded to get the support of the membership because we earned our credibility with them...we got that reputation [of militancy] because we earned it."[3]

Canadian Union of Postal Workers
AbbreviationCUPW
PredecessorCanadian Postal Employees Association
Formation1965; 59 years ago (1965)
TypeTrade union
HeadquartersOttawa, Ontario, Canada
Location
  • Canada
Membership (2006)
54,000[1]
President
Jan Simpson
Affiliations
Websitecupw.ca

History edit

 
CUPW's national office in Ottawa

The CUPW currently has approximately 54,000 members[4] and has a long, vibrant history originating in 1965 when the union was formed out of the Canadian Postal Employees Association (CPEA).[5] The CPEA was itself formed out of the merging of the Dominion Postal Clerks Association, the Dominion Railway Mail Clerks' Federation, and the Mail Porters Association in 1928.[6][7]

Activities edit

The CUPW's first major strike was an illegal wildcat strike in 1965 (before public sector workers had the right to strike or even form unions) and is the largest illegal strike involving government employees. The action succeeded in winning the right to collective bargaining for all public sector employees. Other major industrial actions included a strike in 1968 and a campaign of walkouts in 1970 that resulted in above average wage increases. Further strikes in 1974 and 1975 succeeded in gaining job security in the face of new technology at the post office. A 1978 strike resulted in CUPW president Jean-Claude Parrot being jailed when the union defied back-to-work legislation passed by the Canadian parliament. CUPW's defiance of the law caused a temporary rift between it and the more conservative Canadian Labour Congress. In 1981, after another strike, CUPW became the first federal civil service union in Canada to win the right to maternity leave for its members.

In 1981, Canada Post was transformed from a government department to a crown corporation, fulfilling a long-standing demand by the union. It was hoped that by becoming a crown corporation governed by the Canada Labour Code, relations between Canada Post and its union would improve. While strike action has been less frequent, there were rotating strikes in 1987 and 1991 against plans to privatize postal outlets, both of which were ended by back-to-work legislation and also saw attempts by Canada Post to break the strike using strikebreakers.

In 2003, CUPW successfully completed the organizing of approximately 6,000 Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) into the Union and won a first collective agreement for these workers. This collective agreement is separate from the CUPW collective bargaining agreement. The two collective agreements have major differences. These differences stem from the RSMCs formerly being contractors as opposed to employees of Canada Post. For instance, RSMCs are paid in a contract style system as opposed to hourly, RSMCs are typically expected to find their own replacements during absences, and RSMCs may hire assistants who are not employed by Canada Post. Also in 2003 saw the first of many rollbacks for the Urban Postal Unit when the contract that was reached included the elimination of severance pay. Members ratified the Urban Mail Operations agreement by a vote of 65.4 per cent.[8][9]

On June 3, 2011, CUPW began labour actions against Canada Post with a series of rotating strikes. On June 14, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. EST, Canada Post announced a lockout of CUPW members. The lockout ended June 27, 2011, after Parliament passed a law rendering illegal any further work stoppage.[10]

CUPW's last collective agreement was signed in 2012 and expired January 31, 2016. The RSMC collective bargaining agreement expired in December 2015.

The last agreement between Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Urban Postal Operations, expired January 31, 2018.

Failing to reach a new agreement, the union began a series of rotating strikes across the country on October 22, 2018.[11]

Other postal unions edit

In 1989, the Canadian Labour Relations Board forced most Canada Post employees under one union. Until that time CUPW, had represented only "inside employees" with the Letter Carriers Union of Canada representing "outdoor employees" and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers representing smaller units of specialized workers within the post office. After a vote, CUPW was chosen to be the sole union representing the combined bargaining unit.

However, three smaller trade unions remain at Canada Post. The Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association covers 12,000 rural workers, the Association of Postal Officials of Canada has 3,400 supervisors and the Union of Postal Communications Employees represents 2,600 technical workers.[12][13][14]

The CUPW put forward several merger proposals to the Canadian Postmasters but, to date, they have been rebuffed.[15]

Worker groups edit

The union represents different types of workers within Canada Post divided into four groups:

  • Group 1: Inside workers - postal clerks and mail handlers.[16]
  • Group 2: Outside workers - letter carriers and Motorized Service Carriers - originally from the Letter Carriers' Union of Canada (LCUC).[17]
  • Group 3: General Labour and Trades - mostly automotive service technicians, truck and transport mechanics, postal systems technicians, postal systems mechanics - the majority of these positions require the completion of a post-secondary program in their field or a provincial or inter-provincial certificate of qualification in their trade. Originally from the Public Service Alliance of Canada[18]
  • Group 4: Electronic specialists and forepersons, like the group 3 workers, need a course in a technical or trade school to get in and require to attend courses. Originally from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers[19]

Private sector edit

The Canadian Union Of Postal Workers represents workers outside Canada Post such as cleaners, couriers, drivers, warehouse workers, paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers, printers and other workers and total 536 members in separate bargaining units.[20]

Outside causes edit

The union is also noted for supporting political causes. It spends funds in participating on issues such as child care, Cuba, abortion, Colombia, anti-racism, anti–North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), anti–global capitalism, marijuana decriminalization, campaigns for women's equality and human rights.[21] CUPW has also protested the Vietnam War, supported the disarmament movement, opposed South Africa's apartheid regime and opposed the bombing of Iraq, Yugoslavia and Afghanistan.[22] The CUPW also supports the international campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)[23] against the state of Israel "...until such time that it respects international law and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people."[24]

Presidents edit

1974: Joe Davidson
1977: Jean-Claude Parrot
1992: Darrell Tingley
2002: Deborah Bourque
2009: Denis Lemelin
2015: Mike Palecek
2019: Jan Simpson

References edit

  1. ^ "Collective Agreements-Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers". www.cupw.ca.
  2. ^ "This Week in Canadian Labour History". Canadian Labour Congress.
  3. ^ Hudson, Erin (2011-09-08). "Pushing the envelope | The McGill Daily". www.mcgilldaily.com. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  4. ^ "Union Structure". www.cupw.ca.
  5. ^ TERMIUM®, Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Translation Bureau (2009-10-08). "CANADIAN POSTAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION [1 record] - TERMIUM Plus® — Search - TERMIUM Plus®". www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-05-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Thomson, Anthony (1977). "Early Unionization in the Canadian Post Office" (PDF). www.acadiau.ca.
  7. ^ Bercuson, David Jay (1974). Confrontation at Winnipeg: Labour, Industrial Relations, and the General Strike. McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 9780077350215. Confrontation at Winnipeg: Labour, Industrial Relations, and the General Strike.
  8. ^ . Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-01-07.
  9. ^ . Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-01-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Angry postal workers rally before returning to work". 2011-06-28.
  11. ^ Vomiero, Jessica "Canada Post union workers to begin rotating nationwide strikes Monday morning" Global News; October 21, 2018. Jessica By Jessica Vomiero
  12. ^ . CPAA. Archived from the original on 2010-11-30. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  13. ^ . Association of Postal Officials of Canada. Archived from the original on 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  14. ^ . UPCE. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  15. ^ Maheux, Daniel L. (2010-03-01). . The Canadian Postmaster. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-09-28.
  16. ^ "Agreement Between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers" (PDF). CUPW.
  17. ^ "Agreement between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers" (PDF). www.cupw.ca.
  18. ^ "Agreement Between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers" (PDF). www.cupw.ca.
  19. ^ "Agreement between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers" (PDF). www.cupw.ca.
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2006-03-07.
  21. ^ "Campaigns and Issues".
  22. ^ . Archived from the original on 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-01.
  23. ^ "BDS Movement". BDS Movement. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  24. ^ Bleakney, Dave. "What is Happening in Palestine? Nakba – 70th Anniversary of the Palestinian Catastrophe". CUPW. Retrieved 2018-05-12.

External links edit

  • Canadian Union of Postal Workers
  • Canadian Union of Postal Workers – Web Archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries
  • Structure of CUPW
  • from CUPW

January 01, 1970
canadian, union, postal, workers, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Canadian Union of Postal Workers news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia s quality standards No cleanup reason has been specified Please help improve this article if you can June 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message The Canadian Union of Postal Workers CUPW French Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes STTP is a public sector trade union representing postal workers including letter carriers rural and suburban mail carriers 1 postal clerks mail handlers and dispatchers technicians mechanics and electricians employed at Canada Post as well as private sector workers outside Canada Post Currently comprising upwards of 50 000 members the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has historically been labeled as militant because of some of the actions undertaken since its inception in 1965 to help guarantee rights to all postal workers 2 According to former president Jean Claude Parrot We succeeded to get the support of the membership because we earned our credibility with them we got that reputation of militancy because we earned it 3 Canadian Union of Postal WorkersAbbreviationCUPWPredecessorCanadian Postal Employees AssociationFormation1965 59 years ago 1965 TypeTrade unionHeadquartersOttawa Ontario CanadaLocationCanadaMembership 2006 54 000 1 PresidentJan SimpsonAffiliationsCanadian Labour CongressInternational Transport Workers FederationWebsitecupw wbr ca Contents 1 History 2 Activities 3 Other postal unions 4 Worker groups 5 Private sector 6 Outside causes 7 Presidents 8 References 9 External linksHistory edit nbsp CUPW s national office in Ottawa The CUPW currently has approximately 54 000 members 4 and has a long vibrant history originating in 1965 when the union was formed out of the Canadian Postal Employees Association CPEA 5 The CPEA was itself formed out of the merging of the Dominion Postal Clerks Association the Dominion Railway Mail Clerks Federation and the Mail Porters Association in 1928 6 7 Activities editThe CUPW s first major strike was an illegal wildcat strike in 1965 before public sector workers had the right to strike or even form unions and is the largest illegal strike involving government employees The action succeeded in winning the right to collective bargaining for all public sector employees Other major industrial actions included a strike in 1968 and a campaign of walkouts in 1970 that resulted in above average wage increases Further strikes in 1974 and 1975 succeeded in gaining job security in the face of new technology at the post office A 1978 strike resulted in CUPW president Jean Claude Parrot being jailed when the union defied back to work legislation passed by the Canadian parliament CUPW s defiance of the law caused a temporary rift between it and the more conservative Canadian Labour Congress In 1981 after another strike CUPW became the first federal civil service union in Canada to win the right to maternity leave for its members In 1981 Canada Post was transformed from a government department to a crown corporation fulfilling a long standing demand by the union It was hoped that by becoming a crown corporation governed by the Canada Labour Code relations between Canada Post and its union would improve While strike action has been less frequent there were rotating strikes in 1987 and 1991 against plans to privatize postal outlets both of which were ended by back to work legislation and also saw attempts by Canada Post to break the strike using strikebreakers In 2003 CUPW successfully completed the organizing of approximately 6 000 Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers RSMC into the Union and won a first collective agreement for these workers This collective agreement is separate from the CUPW collective bargaining agreement The two collective agreements have major differences These differences stem from the RSMCs formerly being contractors as opposed to employees of Canada Post For instance RSMCs are paid in a contract style system as opposed to hourly RSMCs are typically expected to find their own replacements during absences and RSMCs may hire assistants who are not employed by Canada Post Also in 2003 saw the first of many rollbacks for the Urban Postal Unit when the contract that was reached included the elimination of severance pay Members ratified the Urban Mail Operations agreement by a vote of 65 4 per cent 8 9 On June 3 2011 CUPW began labour actions against Canada Post with a series of rotating strikes On June 14 2011 at 11 59 p m EST Canada Post announced a lockout of CUPW members The lockout ended June 27 2011 after Parliament passed a law rendering illegal any further work stoppage 10 CUPW s last collective agreement was signed in 2012 and expired January 31 2016 The RSMC collective bargaining agreement expired in December 2015 The last agreement between Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Urban Postal Operations expired January 31 2018 Failing to reach a new agreement the union began a series of rotating strikes across the country on October 22 2018 11 Other postal unions editIn 1989 the Canadian Labour Relations Board forced most Canada Post employees under one union Until that time CUPW had represented only inside employees with the Letter Carriers Union of Canada representing outdoor employees and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers representing smaller units of specialized workers within the post office After a vote CUPW was chosen to be the sole union representing the combined bargaining unit However three smaller trade unions remain at Canada Post The Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association covers 12 000 rural workers the Association of Postal Officials of Canada has 3 400 supervisors and the Union of Postal Communications Employees represents 2 600 technical workers 12 13 14 The CUPW put forward several merger proposals to the Canadian Postmasters but to date they have been rebuffed 15 Worker groups editThe union represents different types of workers within Canada Post divided into four groups Group 1 Inside workers postal clerks and mail handlers 16 Group 2 Outside workers letter carriers and Motorized Service Carriers originally from the Letter Carriers Union of Canada LCUC 17 Group 3 General Labour and Trades mostly automotive service technicians truck and transport mechanics postal systems technicians postal systems mechanics the majority of these positions require the completion of a post secondary program in their field or a provincial or inter provincial certificate of qualification in their trade Originally from the Public Service Alliance of Canada 18 Group 4 Electronic specialists and forepersons like the group 3 workers need a course in a technical or trade school to get in and require to attend courses Originally from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 19 Private sector editThe Canadian Union Of Postal Workers represents workers outside Canada Post such as cleaners couriers drivers warehouse workers paramedics emergency medical dispatchers printers and other workers and total 536 members in separate bargaining units 20 Outside causes editThe union is also noted for supporting political causes It spends funds in participating on issues such as child care Cuba abortion Colombia anti racism anti North American Free Trade Agreement NAFTA anti global capitalism marijuana decriminalization campaigns for women s equality and human rights 21 CUPW has also protested the Vietnam War supported the disarmament movement opposed South Africa s apartheid regime and opposed the bombing of Iraq Yugoslavia and Afghanistan 22 The CUPW also supports the international campaign of Boycott Divestment and Sanctions BDS 23 against the state of Israel until such time that it respects international law and the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people 24 Presidents edit1974 Joe Davidson 1977 Jean Claude Parrot 1992 Darrell Tingley 2002 Deborah Bourque 2009 Denis Lemelin 2015 Mike Palecek 2019 Jan SimpsonReferences edit Collective Agreements Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers www cupw ca This Week in Canadian Labour History Canadian Labour Congress Hudson Erin 2011 09 08 Pushing the envelope The McGill Daily www mcgilldaily com Retrieved 2018 05 12 Union Structure www cupw ca TERMIUM Government of Canada Public Works and Government Services Canada Translation Bureau 2009 10 08 CANADIAN POSTAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION 1 record TERMIUM Plus Search TERMIUM Plus www btb termiumplus gc ca Retrieved 2018 05 12 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Thomson Anthony 1977 Early Unionization in the Canadian Post Office PDF www acadiau ca Bercuson David Jay 1974 Confrontation at Winnipeg Labour Industrial Relations and the General Strike McGill Queen s University Press ISBN 9780077350215 Confrontation at Winnipeg Labour Industrial Relations and the General Strike CUPW 2003 09 29 Postal Workers Ratify two Landmark Collective Agreements Archived from the original on 2007 09 28 Retrieved 2007 01 07 Archived copy Archived from the original on 2007 09 28 Retrieved 2007 01 07 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Angry postal workers rally before returning to work 2011 06 28 Vomiero Jessica Canada Post union workers to begin rotating nationwide strikes Monday morning Global News October 21 2018 Jessica By Jessica Vomiero About us CPAA Archived from the original on 2010 11 30 Retrieved 2010 09 28 About APOC Association of Postal Officials of Canada Archived from the original on 2011 03 11 Retrieved 2010 09 28 About Us UPCE Archived from the original on 2011 07 06 Retrieved 2010 09 28 Maheux Daniel L 2010 03 01 Bargaining Unit Review The Canadian Postmaster Archived from the original on 2011 07 06 Retrieved 2010 09 28 Agreement Between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers PDF CUPW Agreement between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers PDF www cupw ca Agreement Between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers PDF www cupw ca Agreement between the Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers PDF www cupw ca CUPW Our Members Archived from the original on 2010 04 20 Retrieved 2006 03 07 Campaigns and Issues CUPW 2008 04 29 Q amp A Working toward a just peace for Palestine and Israel CUPW amp Resolution 338 339 Archived from the original on 2011 05 27 Retrieved 2008 05 01 BDS Movement BDS Movement Retrieved 2018 05 12 Bleakney Dave What is Happening in Palestine Nakba 70th Anniversary of the Palestinian Catastrophe CUPW Retrieved 2018 05 12 External links edit nbsp Organized labour portal Canadian Union of Postal Workers Canadian Union of Postal Workers Web Archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries Structure of CUPW Postal Working Organizing A look across a century from CUPW Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Canadian Union of Postal Workers amp oldid 1182372005, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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