As MPs debate, no plans for further negotiations in postal dispute

OTTAWA – The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says it is doubtful negotiations will resume in the face of the Harper government’s determination to impose a settlement in the three-week dispute.

A spokesperson for the union says the legislation has removed any incentive for Canada Post to compromise.

Talks between Canada Post and its union broke off Wednesday night as the action turned to Parliament Hill.

The company said in a release late Wednesday the two sides remain far apart on several issues after 72 hours of negotiations.

The union contends the Crown corporation made no significant moves to seek a deal.

With the talks going nowhere, MPs have begun debating issues surrounding the back-to-work legislation and are expected to continue at least throughout the day.

Opposition MPs vowed to continue fighting the back-to-work legislation, saying it takes Canada’s Post side on the dispute and imposes a wage settlement inferior to the company’s last offer.

The postal union is also seeking an amendment that would strip the bill of a provision where an arbitrator must choose between the two offers on all outstanding issues — a so-called winner-takes-all approach.

But Labour Minister Lisa Raitt defended the measure as necessary to settle the dispute.

She said “final offer binding selection” was necessary because previous experience, when Ottawa last ordered postal workers back on the job in 1997, resulted in a further two years of mediation and “millions of dollars” wasted.

She added it was fair that the government impose a wage settlement identical to increases it has negotiated with public servants.

“At the end of the day, we are responsible to the great taxpayers of Canada (who) have the responsibility of being on the hook for Canada Post,” she said.

“We want to make sure we ensure the viability of Canada Post Corporation.”

The House of Commons was expected to break for the summer on Thursday but all parties say they’re prepared to keep sitting through the weekend.

Passage of the legislation could theoretically result in postal service resuming in Canada some time next week.

The Tories want the bill passed as soon as possible but the NDP wants to delay it to give both sides more time to reach an agreement on their own.

While the Conservatives intend used their majority numbers to cut short discussion on how the bill should be debated, government House leader Peter Van Loan said there would be no restrictions on the length of debate on the bill itself.

“If everyone wants to co-operate, we could finish as early as Thursday or early into Friday, but if the other parties are determined to prolong this matter, we could be sitting into the weekend,” Van Loan said Wednesday.

The government tabled back-to-work legislation on Monday after Canada Post locked-out the union, claiming rotating strikes that began on June 3 were costing the company tens of millions of dollars in lost business.