55,000 employees walk off the job ahead of busy holiday season
Canada Post workers took to the picket lines on Friday, Nov. 15, after management and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) failed to reach an agreement.
The CUPW says approximately 55,000 workers in bargaining units who cover urban, rural, and suburban mail are striking, saying they’ve made little progress during bargaining.
The union gave Canada Post a 72-hour strike notice earlier this week. Shortly after, Canada Post served the union with a lockout notice. The CUPW has been in a legal strike position since Nov. 3.
In a public statement, the union blamed the crown corporation for disrupting mail services.
“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.”
In their last contract offer, Canada Post offered workers annual wage increases over four years, totalling 11.5 per cent, and protection of the defined benefit pension for current employees. The union said it wasn’t enough and that both sides were a distance apart on several issues.
The strike is happening at the beginning of the Christmas season when many rely on Canada Post to send and receive gifts and holiday mail.
In a statement from Canada Post, the crown corporation said the strike would affect millions of Canadians and businesses.
Canada Post said it will not process mail or deliver packages during the strike. No new items will be accepted, and some post offices will be closed.
