Conciliation Extended to May 3rd

As you know, a federal election will take place on May 2nd, 2011.  During federal elections, the law allows the government to prevent the exercise of the right to strike or lockout.  This is provided for under the Canada Labour Code.  Article 90 of the Code states the following:

“Where a strike or lockout not prohibited by this Part occurs or may occur during the time commencing on the date of a dissolution of Parliament and ending on the date fixed for the return of the writs at the next following general election and, in the opinion of the Governor in Council, adversely affects or would adversely affect the national interest, the Governor in Council may during that time make an order deferring the strike or lockout during the period commencing on the day the order is made and ending on the twenty-first day following the date fixed for the return of the writs.”

This means that the Conservative government, from now until May 23, when the writs will be returned, could directly intervene in our negotiations, whenever it wishes to do so: tomorrow, next week, or even just before the beginning of a strike.  No one wants to end up in that situation and be at the mercy of Harper’s government.  We don’t trust him at all.

A New Date: May 24, Tuesday Night, at Midnight

Since the conciliator had offered the parties to extend conciliation, we asked that it be extended to May 3rd.  This will allow us to use our right to strike, if need be, on May 24, outside the time-frame provided for under the Code.  We had to ask for an extension before today, which marks the end of the 60 – day conciliation period.  This way, no one will be able to defer our right to strike.

We Will Keep Negotiating

In the meantime, negotiations will go on.  The Negotiating Committee will tirelessly continue to advance the Union’s positions and propose solutions to the problems in the workplace.  We’ll keep pushing.

the Strike Vote Continues

The vote on the strike mandate continues.  It’s already been one week!  We need to keep paricipating in large numbers in the strike vote meetings.  The members of the National Executive Board have already attended numerous meetings: people discuss, debate, argue – this is democracy at its best!

We must continue to send the same message just as forcefully to local management and senior management at Canada Post: We demand respect, equality and a share of the benefits of the new technology.

Together we will win.

The struggle continues.

In Solidarity,

Denis Lemelin
National President and Chief Negotiator.