Postal Strike Continues in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec; Returns to BC

Minister of Labour Extends Mediator Appointment

For Immediate Release

Ottawa – More members of Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), just over 2,300 in total, in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and British Columbia, walked off the job this morning as part of the third week of rotating strikes.

About 500 members from the Baie-Comeau, Côte-Nord, Chibougamau, Farnham, Matane, St. Hyacinthe, Thetford Mines and Riviere-du-Loup locals in Quebec, almost 700 members from the Annapolis, Antigonish, Breton, Bridgewater, Cumberland, Liverpool, New Glasgow, Pictou, Port Hawkesbury, Truro and Yarmouth locals in Nova Scotia, and almost 700 members from the Brantford, Guelph, Midland, Oshawa, Orillia and Parry Sound locals in Ontario, joined the picket lines this morning.

Soon after, about 425 members from the Cranbrook, Kamloops, Penticton, Quesnel, Vernon and Williams Lake locals in British Columbia walked off the job.

The Minsiter 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.

“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,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “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, 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.

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For more information, please contact: 

EN – Emilie Tobin, CUPW Communications, at 613-882-2742 or at [email protected]

FR – Lise-Lyne Gélineau, President, CUPW Montreal local, at 514-914-0350 or at [email protected]