The MP for Windsor West says the move made by the federal government to force Canada Post employees back to work is “cowardly”. 

Brian Masse is criticizing the government’s decision to order workers back to work after four weeks of being on strike. 

The announcement was made Friday morning by Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon who says he’s “calling a timeout” in the strike and is asking the Canada Industrial Relations Board to send about 55,000 employees back to work.

MacKinnon says the Crown corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers are at an impasse, and that negotiations have been going in the wrong direction after a federally appointed mediator withdrew themselves two weeks ago.

Masse says the role of postal workers is crucial in keeping communities connected and safe, stressing that their absence has shown just how vital their work is.

He says these workers have a right to strike.

“This approach from the government is actually very cowardly, and what I mean specifically about that is they don’t even bring legislation into the House of Commons to vote on, they just have the Minister use an escape clause to bring them to a mandatory return to work, versus out of actually even having a debate, or a vote in the House of Commons.”

Masse says these workers are simply asking for fair compensation and safe working conditions.

“When you have the CEO of Canada Post who receives annually over a half-a-million dollars, plus bonuses, that’s outrageous that our workers just want to basically have a safe place to go to work, and then go home to their families. What isn’t really well known is that some of our workers because they’ve shortchanged them, with regards to sorting the mail, are out there at 7 o’clock at night in the dark doing postal delivery. And that’s just unacceptable for a safety perspective.”

He says it’s frustrating that the workers will be thrown back to work to deal with the holiday rush.

“I know that they’re going to do their work well, I know that they’re good people, but it’s very difficult for them. And I’m hoping people can support your Canada Post worker when you see them out on the street, when you see them delivering the mail, is to thank them and tell them they’re in solidarity, protect them and their jobs to do it safely, and that there should be a future of Canada Post where the jobs are actually good jobs for the workers, and their safe jobs for the workers.”

If the Canada Industrial Relations Board agrees the two sides are at an impasse, it has been asked to order union members to work under the current collective agreement until nearly the end of May, 2025.

MacKinnon says he’s asked the board to make a decision quickly and hopes that mail will be delivered again starting next week.