Canada Post workers walked off the job in Labrador City and Wabush on June 9 as part of 24-hour rotating strikes, which hit 13 locals across the country that day.
Workers set up picket lines across Canada June 2.
According to Lin Costigan, president of Local 072 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) in Labrador City and Wabush, there are important outstanding issues with Canada Post, including a two-tier wage system for all new hires and changes to sick leave disability and the implementation of a new post program for workers.
Costigan says the program is forcing letter carriers to use a new method of delivery that is causing injuries on the job.
For example, the new machinery allows for less rotation of postal clerks, she explained.
Also, there’s a new bundle method being used where workers are told to put one load of mail on their forearms and another in their hands, she said.
She said it obstruct the workers’ view, throws them off balance, makes going up and down steps difficult, and makes winter walking dangerous.
Canada Post is refusing to move on some of these issues, she said, but they’re still at the negotiating table.
For now, postal service is disrupted and Costigan says the postal corporation is proposing three-day delivery only for letters and small packages, which she thinks will have an adverse affect on the public.
“That’s why we’re doing rotating strikes — we want to provide our customers with a good degree of service, but we’re really trying to send the message to Canada Post corporation that we need to negotiate,” said Costigan.
She said workers are getting a lot of support in the union towns of Labrador City and Wabush.
“We feel great,” she said. “We know we have a lot of public support here in Labrador City and Wabush. We’re a strong union town. The people who live and work here believe in fair jobs, fair wages and fair benefits.”
She said Canada Post needs to work with the union to come up with a fair deal.
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