Labour Minister states Ottawa will continue to stay out of postal strike as four-week deadline approaches

The federal labour minister states that the government will stay neutral as the Canada Post strike approaches four weeks.

Steven MacKinnon informed the press on Wednesday that Canadians are becoming increasingly frustrated with the nationwide strike involving over 55,000 workers. However, he emphasized that it is the responsibility of the two parties involved to reach an agreement.

Despite pressure from business groups for government intervention, the federal government has chosen not to get involved in the strike, unlike in previous high-profile labour disputes.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have been engaged in a verbal dispute lately while federal mediation remains on hold.

Canada Post criticized the union’s new demands on Wednesday, labeling them as unaffordable and unsustainable, estimating a cost exceeding $3 billion over four years when the postal service is already facing financial challenges.

Pushing back against Canada Post’s criticism, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers defended its latest proposals in a bulletin to its members. It listed proposals intended to bridge the gap between the two sides.

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Canada Post mentioned on Monday that the union’s proposals further divide the parties, with some demands from the union even escalating.

The union highlighted that its latest proposals include lower wage increases than previously requested, along with a cost-of-living allowance and improved job security.

The union’s latest wage requests amount to a 19 percent increase over four years. In contrast, Canada Post’s recent proposal offers an 11.5 percent increase over the same period.

In addition, Canada Post objected to other union demands, reasserting its plan to introduce new positions to facilitate weekend delivery expansion.

The weekend delivery expansion has been a major point of contention in negotiations, as the two sides have not yet reached a consensus on staffing for weekend operations.

MacKinnon urged both parties to approach negotiations earnestly on Wednesday.

During the Question Period, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre pressed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday to intervene and end the strike. Trudeau responded, stating, “We believe that the best deals happen at the bargaining table.”