Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have returned to the bargaining table.
The union said they have begun exchanging proposals for the terms of reference for an interest-binding arbitration process.
“With the help of federal mediators, the union is ready to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” CUPW said in a news release.
“Our goal has remained the same from day one: to reach new collective agreements that meet the needs of postal workers, while ensuring a strengthened public post office.”
CUPW said the terms of reference would include the issues the parties could bring to arbitration, the criteria that would help guide the arbitrator in making a decision, and the timelines for when a final decision would have to be made.
On Wednesday, Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu asked the two sides to return to the bargaining table to work on negotiating terms for an arbitration process and to have the union respond to Canada Post’s last offer.
“Arbitration is not the preferred path to an agreement for either side, and each will have priorities it wants recognized. And for that reason, attempts to negotiate a settlement must continue,” said Hajdu.
CUPW proposed sending the dispute to binding arbitration over the weekend, but the employer rejected the idea. Instead, Canada Post wants workers to be forced to vote on their final offer.
