Negotiations Update: Work Continues on Terms of Reference for Arbitration

Today, the negotiating committees continued to work on drafting the Terms of Reference for a binding interest arbitration process to settle new collective agreements for both postal bargaining units. 

When drafting Terms of Reference, our main goal is to ensure a fair and balanced arbitration process. We need to make sure that the criteria that will guide the arbitrator’s decision are neutral. If the Terms of Reference favour the Employer’s positions, it could bias the arbitrator in the Employer’s position – before we’ve even had a chance to present our case.

For example, one of the reasons we won our constitutional challenge against the Conservative Government’s 2011 back to work legislation was that one of the criteria to guide the arbitrator’s decision forced us to accept rollbacks on our pension. This was clearly to the benefit of the Employer.

We will not agree to any criteria that clearly undermines our chances of achieving fair settlements.

Our national overtime ban remains in effect, even as we continue working on the Terms of Reference.

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In solidarity,