The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) went on strike in Creston Friday. Strike actions continue to keep the pressure on Canada Post to bring solutions to the bargaining table to address CUPW demands on health and safety, equality, fair compensation, workload, and staffing.
Since October 22, CUPW’s rotating strikes have now shut down Canada Post operations in more than 150 communities across the country.
Canada Post workers in more than a dozen B.C. cities go on strike
There would be no mail delivery or pickup in the striking cities.
Strikes have ended in Cranbrook, Penticton, Quesnel, Vernon, and Williams Lake, B.C., and in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia communities where strikes had started yesterday morning.
On Wednesday, November 7, the Minister of Labour, the Honourable Patty Hadju extended the appointment of Morton Mitchnick as mediator for the next four days to assist CUPW and Canada Post in reaching negotiated settlements.
CUPW National President Mike Palecek said “We welcome the mediator back to the negotiating table and we are ready to work with him to reach agreements that meet the needs of our members. We will not back down on our demands. Canada Post knows its offers aren’t good enough and we will not settle for anything less than what our members deserve.”
CUPW has called on a national overtime ban for both of its major bargaining units at Canada Post. Postal workers, no matter what their job at Canada Post is will not work more than an eight-hour day and not more than a 40-hour week. ‘’Overburdening, overtime and overwork are all major issues in this round of bargaining. Until Canada Post negotiators’ address it, we can solve it for ourselves in the meantime,” says Palecek.
CUPW members are still without agreements for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units after almost a year of negotiations.
Peggy Legare the local CUPW representative said “Support from the community has been absolutely wonderful. Hopefully, they will come to a decision here soon, none of us want to be on strike but we also want to be treated fairly.”
Customers can go to canadapost.ca/update for updates or follow twitter@canadapostcorp for the latest developments.