LAKELAND - Less than six months since the last postal strike, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers is still in talks with Ottawa to secure a new collective agreement ahead of May 22 when the current agreement expires, and local reactions are mixed.
The previous strike was suspended after 33 days to allow the federal Industrial Inquiry Commission to examine the key issues of the dispute. A report from the commission is expected by May 15.
According to Sherri Buckle, the executive director of the Cold Lake Chamber of Commerce, many businesses pivoted during the November strike, “and have maintained some of those relationships that they’ve built with other carriers.”
“The biggest impact will be where there isn’t an option for another carrier, such as if there’s billing that goes out and they don’t use e-mail billing,” said Buckle.
Lac La Biche County is pushing residents to sign up to receive their property tax invoices electronically. At the April 29 council meeting, general manager of corporate services Hafsah Moghrabi noted the close proximity of the potential strike date to the dates when property tax invoices will be mailed and payments due.
“Administration will work to try and get these mailed out well before the May 16 deadline,” said Moghrabi.
No alternate carriers in St. Paul
Residents of St. Paul will be impacted if the Canada Post strike resumes later this month as there are no alternate carriers in town anymore.
During the November strike, Simplistic Gifts was a pickup and drop off point for both FedEx and Purolator, but the business closed its storefront on April 30.
According to the FedEx website, parcels can be shipped and picked up from locations in Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, Vegreville, and Vermilion.
According to the Purolator website, courier services are available in Elk Point, Glendon, Lac La Biche, Plamondon, Bonnyville, Cold Lake, and Two Hills.
Pork producers advised to stock up on ear tags
In a newsletter to pork producers, the Canadian Pork Council “urges producers to stock a four-month supply of PigTRACE ear tags” citing the likelihood of shipping delays in the event of the strike resuming.
Jen Baker is a pig farmer near Lavoy, just east of Vegreville. She said she and her partner checked their supply and ordered more after they saw the newsletter.
“It was good to be aware I needed to get them in right away, but it won’t affect me the same way that it would affect a large-scale farm,” said Baker.
Her pigs are raised outdoors and farrow twice a year in the spring and the fall. The vast majority are sold as piglets to other small farms but still need the ear tags.
“They’re used for traceability, for moving both from farm to farm, and also when the animal goes to be processed at a butcher shop,” explained Baker.
“So then if something comes up later down the road, like a disease, they can track it back to what farms it went to and what facilities, so that if it's a more notable disease then they can hopefully slow the spread of it.”
