Canada Post employees have voted to reject the Crown corporation’s latest offer for a new collective agreement – a move that brings both parties back to the bargaining table, and extends a labour dispute that has been ongoing for more than 20 months.

Approximately 70 per cent of postal workers voted against their employer’s final offer, which the Canadian Union of Postal Workers had characterized as a deal that would erode employees’ job security and pension benefits, as well as expand part-time work at the expense of full-time jobs.

“We will reach out to Canada Post management to invite them back to the negotiating table. CUPW is committed to staying at the bargaining table and expects Canada Post to do the same,“ the union said in a statement Friday evening.

The vote was administered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board and began on July 21.