National Overtime Ban

The National Executive Board has called for a nationwide overtime ban effective November 1 at 12:01 a.m. That means you are being called on to refuse to work any more than eight hours in a day, and refuse to work more than forty hours in a week.

Our position is that until Canada Post addresses our issues about forced overtime, overburdening and work-life balance at the bargaining table, we’ll do something about it ourselves.

With the urban collective agreement no longer in effect, we have the right not to take overtime, even if your supervisor says it’s forced overtime – because forced overtime was enabled by the collective agreement. We can finally say “enough.”

Why No Overtime

We’re pursuing better staffing and solutions to overburdening in this round of bargaining. Proper staffing and reasonable overtime process, better restructure process and regulations, and other measures should help address our runaway health and safety problems. We just can’t go on any longer with an injury rate that is five times that of the rest of the federal sector. And in the short term, we can show Canada Post just what it’s like to run the postal service without relying on overtime – it can be done, and it can create jobs.

And during the strike period, Canada Post will try to use overtime to clear backlogs and undermine the effectiveness of our strike action. We won’t cooperate with that.

What it Means For You

Work to a maximum of eight hours in a day, forty hours in a week.

Letter Carriers are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours’ work, regardless of whether they have completed their routes.

All RSMC and are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours’ work, regardless of whether they have completed their duties.

Part time and temporary workers are permitted to extend, to a maximum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.

This is a legal strike action.  All CUPW members must follow this direction.

You cannot be disciplined for participating in a legal strike action. 

How to Proceed

When you hit the maximum in a day or in a week, just say no. Share this information with your co-workers.

Consult with your shop steward or local executive if you’re unsure about something, or if management pressures or harasses you to try to get you to work overtime. We’ll help you enforce our rights.

In solidarity,