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What the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) means for postal workers



Canada and the European Union (EU) are currently negotiating a trade agreement (CETA) which threatens many aspects of workers lives, from public services, to jobs, the environment, food, local cultures, telecommunications, water and resources – even the postal service.



There have been five rounds of talks to date. The next round is in Brussels during the week of January 17, 2011 and the seventh round will be in Ottawa in April 2010. Trade negotiators for Canada and the EU are hoping to conclude an agreement by mid 2011. The UNI Post & Logistics affiliate, CUPW, has been working with the Canadian Labour Congress and the Trade Justice

Network (TJN), a coalition of groups and unions, to oppose this unjust trade agreement and demand that the Canadian government take a variety of measures to protect the public interest. These measures are outlined in Open Civil Society Declaration on a proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union (See

Open Declaration at http://tradejustice.ca).



Postal issues and CETA

The postal and courier section of the draft CETA agreement sets up a system to facilitate competition for all postal and courier services liberalized under the agreement. There are provisions for licensing and independent regulatory bodies. These are features normally seen in deregulated markets. The Canadian federal government has already deregulated international letters. It did this in its omnibus budget bill. Canada and the EU may be interested in locking in this change by including it in any Canada‐EU trade deal. Or they may be looking at doing more than this.



CUPW report that they don’t know what the government is planning. The union has asked Canada’s chief negotiator, Steve Verheul, what postal services would be liberalized under the agreement and why the draft text includes licensing and regulatory bodies. Verhuel says he cannot comment because the draft agreement is confidential. Nevertheless, he says “Canada has and will continue to maintain its position with respect to preserving Canada Postʹs domestic monopoly for letter mail.” While the union is somewhat assured by this statement, They are very concerned by the language in the draft agreement.



Watch for updates. To find out more, go to Campaigns, Activities and Issues and then Free Trade on CUPW’s website

(http://www.cupw-sttp.org).