Canada Post Strike Could Start Monday But Will Your Mail Be Affected?

It’s been a long time since you’ve heard this – the post office could be going on strike.

And the walkout could be happening right at the peak of the Christmas mailing season.

Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada filed a 72-hours strike notice with management Friday, warning that a walkout could start as soon as Monday. However, Canada Post has made a new last-minute offer.

The more than 2,000 administrative and technical workers are angry over what they call the corporation’s efforts to impose a new short term disability system that they overwhelmingly rejected.

“Our members voted 88 per cent in favour of strike action,” explains PSAC National President John Gordon in a statement. “They just want to protect the sick leaves and family leaves they have acquired in the past.”

The union has been without a contract since the end of August and both sides have been bargaining since June 4th. And the union is taking a hard line. “Management at Canada Post Corporation has to learn that they cannot unilaterally impose working conditions to its workers without negotiating with the union first,” he insists.

But those in charge insist they’ve been bargaining in good faith.

“It’s very disappointing that the union chose to reject Canada Post’s most recent offer without any further discussion,” notes spokesman Mark MacDonell in  their own statement. “We find it hard to imagine, in this day and age and in the current economic context, that a union being offered continued job security provisions, a fully-indexed pension and salary increases for its members would elect to go on strike over a benefits package that’s better than what most Canadian workers currently have.”

Despite the union’s assurance that other members of PSAC working at the Corporation will support them and help to disrupt the mail, management insists it won’t affect delivery.

“Mail delivery will be unaffected by any labour disruption,” the statement promises. “The … employees, are predominantly administrative and technical workers and do not handle the mail.”

Canadians can long remember the days when post office walkouts were frequent, especially near the holidays.

But back then they carried a special significance that’s not there today. With computer and automatic bill paying, advanced courier services and email, some no longer rely on the mail for vital necessities, although the service still handles a large volume of packages during the Christmas season.

For a list of suggested mailing dates before the holidays that hopefully will get through in time, click here.