Back-to-Work Bill Pays Less than Canada Post's Offer

The Act to Provide for the Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services might sound dull, but it could cause fireworks in Parliament.

The federal government's back-to-work legislation would force Canada Post employees to take a deal that would see them get paid less than what the Crown corporation is already offering them. Under the bill, the 48,000 locked-out workers would get a 1.75 per cent wage hike this year, 1.5 per cent next year, and two per cent in 2013. Canada Post's offer, on the other hand, would give workers a 1.9 per cent increase each year for the next three years. The bill will be debated today, as the Tories hope to pass it before the House of Commons rises for summer break. The NDP has vowed to delay the bill's passage as much as possible, saying the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and Canada Post should reach a negotiated settlement.