Canada Post workers are on strike after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with their employer.
Canadian Union of Postal Workers says approximately 55,000 workers are striking, claiming little progress has been made in the bargaining process.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier in the week, saying it’s been asking for fair wages, safer working conditions and other improvements over nearly a year of bargaining.
“We still believe we can achieve negotiated collective agreements, but Canada Post must be willing to resolve our new and outstanding issues,” the union said in a statement.
Canada Post served the union with the lockout notice not long after but had said it didn’t intend to lock workers out.
The Crown corporation released a statement early Friday morning confirming that customers will experience delays as a result of the strike.
The statement says mail and parcels will not be delivered for the duration of the strike, and some post offices will be closed.
Canada Post said shutting down facilities will affect its national network, with processing and delivery of mail possibly needing time to return to normal once the strike is over.
Ahead of the strike deadline, federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said he formally appointed the director general of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services as a special mediator to help in the talks.
“Our top federal mediators have been working with the parties tirelessly, and we are now sending additional resources to the bargaining table,” MacKinnon said in a post on X.
“We are making sure that these two groups have everything they need to reach a deal.”
(This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024)
