The National Executive Board has called for a nationwide overtime ban effective November 1, at 12:01 AM. They have determined this is the next step in our escalating job action in hopes of achieving a negotiated collective agreement.
Our role as activists is to provide this information to the membership, but not to police members on the floor.
If you are made aware of members performing overtime please inform one of the Local Officers right away, but do not engage the member(s) on your own.
This is a time to stand together in solidarity against the boss, not to fight amongst ourselves.
Please treat each other with respect during this difficult time. The Union stands against bullying and intimidation in any form. If you encounter bullying and/or intimidation on the work floor as a result of this ban, please report it to one of the Local Officers right away.
Let’s work together towards a collective agreement that benefits all postal workers.
We have reproduced the national bulletin below.
In Solidarity,
Jennifer Savage
President
CUPW Vancouver
NATIONAL OVERTIME BAN
The National Executive Board has called for a nationwide overtime ban effective November 1 at 12:01 a.m. That means you are being called on to refuse to work any more than eight hours in a day, and refuse to work more than forty hours in a week.
Our position is that until Canada Post addresses our issues about forced overtime, overburdening and work-life balance at the bargaining table, we’ll do something about it ourselves.
With the urban collective agreement no longer in effect, we have the right not to take overtime, even if your supervisor says it’s forced overtime – because forced overtime was enabled by the collective agreement. We can finally say “enough.”
Why No Overtime
We’re pursuing better staffing and solutions to overburdening in this round of bargaining. Proper staffing and reasonable overtime process, better restructure process and regulations, and other measures should help address our runaway health and safety problems. We just can’t go on any longer with an injury rate that is five times that of the rest of the federal sector. And in the short term, we can show Canada Post just what it’s like to run the postal service without relying on overtime – it can be done, and it can create jobs.
And during the strike period, Canada Post will try to use overtime to clear backlogs and undermine the effectiveness of our strike action. We won’t cooperate with that.
What it Means For You
Work to a maximum of eight hours in a day, forty hours in a week.
Letter Carriers are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours’ work, regardless of whether they have completed their routes.
All RSMC and are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours’ work, regardless of whether they have completed their duties.
Part time and temporary workers are permitted to extend, to a maximum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.
This is a legal strike action. All CUPW members must follow this direction.
You cannot be disciplined for participating in a legal strike action.
How to Proceed
When you hit the maximum in a day or in a week, just say no. Share this information with your co-workers. Consult with your shop steward or local executive if you’re unsure about something, or if management pressures or harasses you to try to get you to work overtime. We’ll help you enforce our rights.
In solidarity,
Mike Palecek
National President