VANCOUVER—Canada Post has made a new offer to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in the hopes of ending a labour dispute before the holiday rush.

According to a release by the Crown corporation, the renewed offer includes pay increases of 2 per cent per year for four years, the creation of a $10-million health and safety fund and a promise of pay equity and job security for rural and suburban workers.

The offer has a deadline of Nov. 17 at 11:59 p.m. — a deadline the postal service says is necessary to meet Canadians’ upcoming delivery demands.

“We’ve put this time-limited offer on the table hoping to bring resolution to negotiations,” spokesperson Jon Hamilton said in an interview Wednesday. “The holiday rush is about to get into this high gear with Cyber Monday, Black Friday.”

The offer comes as a record number of parcel trailers, 260, are waiting to be unpacked and processed at the Gateway Canada Post plant in Toronto, where employees are currently on strike.

Hamilton said the shutdowns at the Gateway plant and at the Pacific Processing Centre in Vancouver have been particularly painful for the service’s operations.

A spokesperson for CUPW told StarMetro that the union would not comment on the offer until the negotiating committee has had a chance to review the offer.

CUPW previously told StarMetro a key priority in its negotiations with Canada Post was limitations on the use of overtime. Hamilton said the offer addresses that concern with a promise to regularly review mail volumes as well as the new health-and-safety fund.

“Essentially this offer responds to all the union’s concerns and puts forward meaningful solutions,” Hamilton said.

CUPW has been on a rotating strike schedule since Oct. 22.

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