Canada Post workers hit the picket lines for strike action

DAN CEARNS The Standard

DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: With little progress made at the negotiating table, Canada Post workers are hitting the picket lines ahead of the holiday season.

As of Friday, November 15th, workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), started a nationwide strike.

“After a year of bargaining, with little progress, postal workers made the difficult decision to strike. Canada Post had the opportunity to prevent this strike but it has refused to negotiate real solutions to the issues postal workers face every day. Instead, Canada Post left us no choice, when it threatened to change our working conditions and leave our members exposed to layoffs,” a CUPW statement read. “Our demands are reasonable: fair wages, safe working conditions, the right to retire with dignity, and the expansion of services at the public post office. Postal workers are proud to serve their communities, and we want to do the job we love. A strike is a last resort. We still believe we can achieve negotiated collective agreements, but Canada Post must be willing to resolve our new and outstanding issues.”

In a news release, on Tuesday, November 12th, Canada Post announced the strike mandate has had an impact on their business, even before workers hit the picket line.

“This is typically Canada Post’s busiest time of the year, bringing much-needed revenue to the organization. Delivered parcel volumes have been in an accelerating decline since CUPW announced its strike mandate, on October 25th. Last week, Canada Post’s parcel volumes declined by 28 percent, compared to the same week of the previous year. That represents 1.3 million parcels, or more than a day’s worth of delivered parcels at this time of year [which] went to competitors, instead of Canada Post.”

The corporation also felt it was making a fair offer to the union, in negotiations.

“Canada Post is committed to protecting what’s most important to employees. The company’s recent global offers ensure current employees don’t lose ground, by protecting the defined benefit pension, job security provisions, leave entitlements and health benefits [alone], while proposing competitive wage increases.”

In a separate release, Canada Post explained, customers can expect delays in service because of the strike.

“Customers will experience delays, due to the strike activity. Mail and parcels will not be processed or delivered, for the duration of the national strike, and some post offices will be closed. Service guarantees will be impacted, for items already in the postal network. No new items will be accepted, until the national disruption is over. All mail and parcels in the postal network will be secured and delivered as quickly as possible, on a first-in, first-out basis, once operations resume. However, a national strike, of any length, will impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends.”

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Canada’s Labour Minister, Steven MacKinnon said, the government is providing resources to help with the negotiations.

“Canadians need them to reach an agreement. Our top federal mediators have been working with the parties, tirelessly, and we are now sending additional resources to the bargaining table. I have now formally appointed the Director General, of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, as a special mediator to support the parties. We are making sure these two groups have everything they need to reach a deal.”