On May 15, AFL President, Gil McGowan, sent a letter to members of the federal government, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Secretary of State for Labour, as well as the chair of the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, asking for a principled resolution to the dispute between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).

“At a time when Canada needs to carve out its own distinct economic vision, separate from the one the United States is following, we must decide carefully what kind of future we want. Is it a future in which workers and their families are sacrificed in the name of economic efficiency? Is it a future in which the pursuit of short-term profits is prioritized over the protection of long-term prosperity?

“We hope your government will pursue a very different course of action and provide an example for other employers to follow. Specifically, we hope you will take the high road of good jobs and fair wages as opposed to the ‘Amazon low road’ of inadequate wages and precarious employment. We hope you will help set a direction for Canada Post that encourages constructive negotiation between the employer and the union that creates a wide pathway for innovation and enduring prosperity for this vital Crown Corporation and the CUPW members who dedicate their working lives to its success.”

Read the full letter here.