Postal workers are saying they’re sick of Canada Post “mailing it in” by starting a rotating strike in Lloydminster. The local chapter of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says all 44 members started the 24-hour walk off at 8 AM on Monday.
The rebuttal started October 22 after negotiators failed to come to terms on a new contract before CUPW’s deadline. The union has more than 50,000 members across the country who are pushing for job security.
Chief Shop Steward for CUPW Luke Baron believes the purpose of their strike is to move negotiations forward with Canada Post.
“We’ve had decades of cutbacks, decades of no raises, bad raises, we’ve had our benefits cut, disability has been cut. Meanwhile, Canada Post has made millions of dollars every year for decades. So, it’s time to tip the scale and pay the workers what they’re owed.”
The union wants a four-year term in the new contracts, with 3.5 per cent wage increases in each year.
“[Canada Post] have a lot of commitments and a slow down just makes the mail slower, which makes their business worse, which makes people want to use other businesses. That’s just the way it is.”
Baron says he wants wages back to normal. He believes everyone was making a similar wage and that new employees are making significantly less.
“For the last decade, they have been giving us either a wage freeze or a sub-inflation rate, right, so if inflation is 2% they are giving us a 1% raise. We all have second jobs now.”
The union says they don’t want to inconvenience the public too much which is why a full strike hasn’t happened. The workers will continue the strikes until a new contract is established.