Union to Launch Legal Challenge to Back-to-Work Law

The strike and lockout at Canada Post may be over, but the battle over wages could just be beginning.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers will launch a legal effort to get the back-to-work law that imposed new wages on its members overturned in court. The union's executive decided last night to find a way to get out of the imposed agreement, as the wage increases mandated by the federal government for the next four years were less than what Canada Post was offering. The 48,000 postal workers returned to their jobs yesterday, and will have to sort through a massive backlog of mail as they resume deliveries, but there are no plans to disobey the legislation, which was granted royal assent on Sunday. Canada Post and CUPW still have to hammer out a deal on pensions, benefits, and other non-wage-related aspects of their collective bargaining agreement.