*Update: While negotiations continue, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is continuing its rotating strike action in Calgary and Red Deer, Alta, and Sherbrooke, Quebec. The rotating strike action in Calgary began at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24, in Sherbrooke at 4 a.m., and in Red Deer at 6 a.m. on Oct. 25 (local times).*
A service disruption from Canada Post was felt in the area, as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) gave notices to Canada Post that rotating strikes will begin this week. Agreements had not been reached with the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units, by Monday.
A media release from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers was sent out on Oct. 16, stating that if job action is necessary, rotating strikes will begin at 12:01 am, Oct. 22. The strike was confirmed on Sunday, and rotating strikes will be done in Victoria, Edmonton, Windsor and Halifax.
"While negotiations continue, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has decided to initiate strike action. CUPW has given notice that it intends to hold a rotating strike in Victoria, Edmonton, Windsor and Halifax beginning after 12:01 am on Oct. 22 (local time), and lasting 24 hours. In those areas, mail and parcels will not be delivered or picked up," reads a Canada Post media release dated Oct. 21.
Canada Post continues to operate across Canada, and is accepting and delivering mail and parcels in all other locations, although a sign posted in the St. Paul post office on Monday morning stated that "due to a job action at Canada Post, this office is closed until further notice."
The St. Paul post office has CUPW affiliated employees. The office was open on Tuesday.
The post office in Elk Point was up and running, as usual, Monday morning.
"Canada Post remains committed to the bargaining process and has a significant offer on the table that includes increased wages, job security, improved benefits and contains no concessions. We have also addressed many of the concerns raised by the union and offered to work together constructively to find solutions," reads the Canada Post media release. "Those include working together to address employee workload concerns caused by parcel growth, additional financial services and going beyond pay equity for Rural and Suburban employees by extending job security and moving to one uniform."
Customers could experience minor delays as a result of the rotating strike action.
"Our members gave us a clear mandate to take job action if Canada Post refused to address our major issues – health and safety, gender equality and preserving full-time, middle class jobs," said Mike Palecek, CUPW National President, in a media release from CUPW.
According to information from Canada Post, "Rotating legal strikes may be isolated to one or two specific locations at a time, affecting those areas for a period of 24 hours. In that situation, Canada Post would continue to accept, process and deliver mail and parcels in all other areas. Once the temporary disruption ends, we would return to normal operations in the affected locations."
Key demands for postal workers during bargaining are job security, an end to forced overtime and overburdening, better health and safety measures, service expansion and equality for Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers, says the CUPW media release. Working conditions of postal workers have deteriorated over the last decade, claims the release, in part because Canada Post has failed to address the increase in parcel volumes and the burden it has placed on workers.
Canada Post also needs to address workplace injuries, which over the last two years, have increased by 43 percent, according to the CUPW. Today, the disabling injury rate for a letter carrier is eight times the average of the rest of the federal sector.
"A Crown Corporation should do better and can do better. Our members deserve better," said Palecek.
According to Canada Post, the organization "is committed to arriving at a negotiated settlement that is not only best for its customers, its employees and our path forward with CUPW, but also for every Canadian we serve. We continue to pursue that goal while making every effort to minimize the impact of any disruption on the customers who rely on us every day."
Canadians can register to receive updates via the Canada Post website.
