Rotating Canada Post strikes to start in Winnipeg

Canada Post workers will begin rotating strike action in Winnipeg as a Thursday night deadline for contract negotiations looms.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) announced workers will hit the picket line in the Manitoba capital if a deadline isn’t reached by 11:59 p.m. Thursday. A series of 24-hour strikes will then continue in other locations, which will be announced later.

“Winnipeg has been chosen as the location for the first strike activity because it was the first city to be impacted by Canada Post’s modernization program,” the union said in a statement Thursday. “The results have been a sharp deterioration of service to the public as well as a host of health and safety problems experienced by postal workers due to the new work methods and equipment.”

The union and the Crown corporation have been trying to hammer out an agreement for the past seven months. CUPW handed Canada Post 72 hours notice of its intention to strike on Monday.

Canada Post says it needs to rein in labour costs in light of a more than 17 per cent decrease in letter mail business since 2006. Spokesman John Caines said he’s hopeful the two sides will make a deal by the deadline Thursday.

“It is the union’s decision to strike (or not). We’re working right now to try to get a deal,” Canada Post spokesperson Anick Losier said in a statement.

The key sticking point for the union is sick leave and proposed lower wages and benefits for new hires. CUPW put several amendments on the table as part of its final offer Monday, including a drop in its wage demands. It also agreed to Canada Post’s request for a four-year collective agreement.

The last CUPW strike in 1997 lasted two weeks before back-to-work legislation was implemented.

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