Postal service in Northern BC could come to a screeching halt if Canada Post can’t reach a deal with its union.
The earliest postal workers could go on strike is September 26th, this would affect over 130 members who are with CUPW in the northern capital.
Since their last agreement was ratified in December of 2016, a major issue remains unaddressed.
“Probably one of the things that haven’t changed is our staffing here at Canada Posfewerasically in the last couple years our parcel volume has been growing through the roof and yet we’re doing it with less and fewer workers and is one of the more serious issues we have right now,” said Clark Rasmussen, Local Union President.
“We want to have workers go home and actually have a lifestyle where they’re not hurt or hurting.”
The trickle-down effect a strike would have on postal service in Prince George and the rest of Canada is still up in the air due to a variety of factors.
“At this point, we don’t know how this would affect most of the citizens because there are different ways we can do it, if it’s a full strike, it would hurt everyone in every community across Canada because there are people who rely on Canada Post everyday especially businesses with our parcel business.”
On the positive side, both the union and Canada Post are at the bargaining table trying to hammer out a new deal as well as any issues either side might have.
“We’re at the table our negotiators are trying very hard to get to a new deal so hopefully we come to some type of resolution,” added Rasmussen.
“Two years ago, we were negotiating for a contract and we decided within that timeframe to go on a short contract, it was a two-year contract but in the reality of things it was more like a one-year contract as it was more just to see how things were going to change, there was a review of Canada Post that still wasn’t out results wise and since that time, this has occurred and some of the things that came out was to expand services for Canada Post and that’s one of our leading things on the table.”
Canada’s labour minister is calling on both sides to continue negotiations with a mediator to help reach a deal and avoid postal disruption.