The head of the union representing 55,000 Canada Post workers is calling for the employees to reject a tentative contract agreement in a vote this spring, even though a majority of the national executive board recommends that the deal be accepted.
A newsletter published by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers on Tuesday outlined the deal and stated that 60 percent of the national executive board is recommending that workers vote in favour of it.
But National president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Jan Simpson, and four other members of the union's leadership issued a minority report disagreeing, arguing the deal abandons most of what the union membership wanted to see in a contract.
"These agreements are a huge victory for the employer, the tentative agreements contain major changes, concessions and rollbacks," said the minority report.
The minority report said the union will go back to the table to bargain for a better deal if the "inferior" offer is rejected.
Canada Post and the union have sparred over wages and structural changes to the postal service for more than two years, with workers having taken to the picket line on multiple occasions throughout the bargaining process.
The Crown corporation has recorded more than $5 billion in losses since 2018, faced with a significant reduction in letter mail and growing competition for package delivery.
The tentative agreement is for a five-year contract, and includes wage increases of 6.5 per cent and three per cent in the first two years.
"We get a raise that still pays us less than the other major carriers and only some of the rights we were already entitled to under the Canada Labour Code," said the minority report.
Simpson spoke about the tentative deal in a message posted at the beginning of the newsletter, stating that the agreements don't resolve all of members' issues, but they secure important gains and protect key rights, including job security.
Voting is set to take place from April 20 to May 30.
Both sides have agreed not to engage in any strike or lockout activity while the ratification votes take place, however a vote is taking place alongside the ratification process to authorize a strike mandate in the event the contract is rejected.
