Small businesses urge quick end to postal strike

LENGTHY STOPPAGE COULD CUT PROFITS, BUSINESSES WARN

Small businesses called for a speedy end to rotating walkouts launched Monday in four cities by Canada Post employees, citing concern that a prolonged strike could chew into their profits ahead of the busy holiday shopping season.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business also urged the post office to rein in spending to reduce costs and warned postal workers that continued job action could hurt them and their employer.

“While a rotating strike may be less harmful than a general strike, it creates additional uncertainty for businesses at a critical time for many small firms,” CFIB president Dan Kelly said Monday in a statement.

“The bad news for Canada Post workers is that every time they even threaten a strike, more small business customers move to use alternatives, many never returning to Canada Post.”

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents 50,000 postal employees, launched rotating demonstrations in Victoria, Edmonton, Windsor, Ont., and Halifax to pressure Canada Post into accepting contract changes.

The two sides have been bargaining separate contracts for rural and urban carriers, without success, over the past 10 months but there has been little progress in resolving critical issues, said CUPW national president Mike Palecek.

“In fact they’re proposing to increase precarious work with more temporary workers,” Palecek said in an interview.

The union is also asking for gender equality language to be incorporated in any new deal and want an end to forced overtime.

Canada Post said Monday it is committed to bargaining new collective agreements for its unionized employees, noting it has put forward “a significant offer” that includes wage increases, job security and improved benefits.

The Crown corporation also said its proposals did not contain demands for concessions.

Small businesses reliant on the agency for deliveries of goods and invoices, and for receiving payments, have already been harmed by everincreasing costs for Canada Post services, and should not be expected to pay more, Kelly said.

“It’s time for Canada Post to bring its spending under control instead of handing growing costs on to consumers and businesses who are already facing postal rate hikes in January,” he said.