Fresh Take on the Canada Post Strike Saga: A Not-So-Promising Final Offer Vote
Experts predict that the union is unlikely to accept Canada Post's proposal in a mandatory vote, according to current speculation.
Josh Rubin, Business Reporter
As Canada Post prepares for a vote by around 55,000 workers on the corporation's "final" contract offer, labor experts aren't holding their breath for a swift resolution to the prolonged labor dispute. Last week, Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu ordered a vote on the offer to take place "as soon as possible," with the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) overseeing the process.
This week, Canada Post is scheduled to hand over its employee list to the CIRB, while the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is expected to respond by the end of the week. Both parties will meet with the CIRB later this week to discuss the vote's details and rules, with the corporation hoping this will bring the dispute, which resulted in a 32-day strike last year, to a close.
The exact timing of the vote remains unclear, but the outcome is unlikely to go the employer's way, according to Larry Savage, a labor studies professor at Brock University. "Forced final offer votes rarely turn out the way employers expect them to," Savage stated, referencing a recent vote at a Windsor hotel where workers overwhelmingly rejected their employer's offer.
CUPW has been vocal in encouraging its members to vote against the offer, labeling it an attack on collective bargaining. In a bulletin to members, the union maintained, "Once again, the Government has stepped into our bargaining process, attacking our rights and taking the Employer's side." Canada Post, on the other hand, expressed hope that its employees would approve the offer, stating, "We hope they will vote to accept our offers, to bring resolution to this round of negotiations so we can return to stability and focus on beginning to make the changes needed to better serve Canadians in today's economy."
Labor experts such as Rafael Gomez, director of the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto, share Savage's view. Final offer votes tend to be rejected by a substantial margin, according to Gomez, suggesting that the likelihood of Canada Post workers accepting the offer is slim. Yet, a no vote could potentially push negotiations forward, as Gomez notes, "If it's close to 100%, the employer would realize it really needs to move more. If it's closer to 50%, the union could say 'come on, it was close. Throw us a bone.'"
Recent history hints at Canada Post's preference for forced votes in response to prolonged labor conflicts that risk significant public disruption. However, extensive data on the success rate of these votes is not easily accessible, and there is debate among experts regarding their use as a dispute resolution mechanism, with unions arguing that they may lead to less favorable outcomes for employees[1][2][5].
In conclusion, while forced final offer votes on employer proposals are a recognized tool in Canadian labor law, their success rate in terms of employer offers being accepted is limited and context-dependent. Unions may resist these votes due to a perceived loss of bargaining power, and the prospect of receiving worse terms or no resolution[1][2][5].
- The government's intervention in the Canada Post labor dispute has led to a "final" contract offer vote among approximately 55,000 workers.
- The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is urging its members to vote against the offer, labeling it an attack on collective bargaining.
- Labor experts, including Larry Savage from Brock University and Rafael Gomez from the University of Toronto, are skeptical about the offer being accepted by the workers.
- If the vote results in a no vote, it could potentially push negotiations forward and offer a chance for both parties to compromise.
- Media outlets in Toronto and across Canada will closely follow the news about the Canada Post vote, potentially influencing public opinion on both the government's policy-and-legislation involving labor disputes and the economic impact of the strike on businesses in the community.
- The outcome of the vote could have significant implications for Canadian politics and the overall relationship between employers, unions, and the government in shaping labor laws and policies in Canada.
