The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is asking a federal judge to overturn a directive from Labour Minister Patty Hajdu, arguing it violates their constitutional rights and undermines collective bargaining. Blacklock's Reporter says Hajdu, who has not commented on the case, is accused of interfering in a contract dispute by ordering a vote on a Canada Post offer the union calls misleading.Union lawyers filed an application with the Federal Court alleging Hajdu failed to provide “any, let alone sufficient, procedural fairness” before issuing her June 12 directive. That order required postal workers to vote on management’s latest contract proposal, which had already been rejected by union leaders.“The Minister’s directive for a forced vote results in procedural and substantive unfairness to CUPW and its members,” wrote Paul Cavalluzzo, the union’s lead counsel. He cited issues with the timing and conduct of the vote, the content of the offer, and the disruption to ongoing negotiations..CUPW is seeking to have the directive quashed and is also asking the court to award damages for legal and other costs incurred. The dispute follows a government-imposed end to a 32-day strike last December that Canada Post claimed cost the corporation $208 million.The union, representing workers in 71 locals from Victoria to St. John’s, is urging members to reject the latest offer, warning in a bulletin titled Why You Shouldn’t Trust Canada Post that “not everything is quite how management has made it out to be.”Hajdu’s office has not responded to questions about the legal challenge. .The minister has previously intervened in postal labour disputes. In 2018, she sponsored Bill C-89, which forced postal workers to end rotating strikes under threat of daily fines of $100,000.Critics have long said Canada Post management relies too heavily on cabinet support to break labour stalemates. “The company knows the workers are going to be legislated back to work,” said former NDP MP Daniel Blaikie in 2018. “How dare she get up in this place and say that she is hopeful they are going to reach a deal when she has been threatening for weeks to legislate those workers back to work and taking their leverage away at the bargaining table.”
