Whitehorse, YT – More than 55,000 postal workers represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) walked off the job this morning after negotiations broke down with Canada Post leading to a shutdown of operations.
CUPW says little progress was made over the year-long bargaining.
Canada Post said in a statement that operations will shut down as long as the strike continues.
“Customers will experience delays due to the strike activity,” reads the statement. “Mail and parcels will not be processed or delivered for the duration of the national strike, and some post offices will be closed.”
Keith Elert, Vice President of CUPW’s Whitehorse Local 852, emphasized workers’ frustrations as unionized postal workers in Whitehorse began picketing at the top of Two Mile Hill.
“We’re on strike today because Canada Post refuses to come to the table and negotiate in any kind of good faith, bad faith, any faith whatsoever,” said Elert. “They’re only interested in taking away.”
The union is demanding fair wages, safe working conditions and the right to retire with dignity.
“Nobody wants to strike. This is a last resort, but you know, no union in the world would accept the proposals and the rollbacks that Canada Post has put forward,” said Elert. “It’s anti-worker, plain and simple.”
CKRW previously incorrectly spelled Elert’s name as Ellard.
