Saskatoon mail facility sees rash of infections

A local union leader says a rash of COVID-19 cases at Saskatoon's mail processing plant has him worried about his members' safety.

Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 842 president Michael Weber says his weekend started with a Friday phone call about a member who tested positive for COVID-19.

Within 24 hours, there were five. “People are scared. Definitely, people are scared and concerned. I spent my whole weekend fielding phone calls,” Weber said.

He wants the Crown corporation to enforce stricter safety measures and potentially even stop work for a few days so employees can be tested. He claims the Saskatchewan Health Authority has not been adequately involved and questions why an outbreak has not been declared.

In a unattributed statement, Canada Post's media relations team said it believes the cases are unrelated and all public health guidance is being followed.

“We've implemented physical distancing in all our facilities, have visible markings, staggered start times where necessary, increased cleaning and availability of safety equipment and sanitizers and provided reusable face coverings, which are mandatory in all of our facilities across the country,” a prepared statement from Canada Post said.

Weber said the Crown corporation has had good safety protocols in the past: when another employee tested positive in early November, work was stopped and sanitization was done on the entire facility and all mail carrier vehicles. The same thing happened on Friday night, Weber added.

However, he said his members are increasingly worried for their safety and that of the public, especially as the holiday mail rush continues and workers continue to pick up overtime shifts.

“I think the main concern people have is that they were working with people who tested positive, and they're scared it's going to turn into a bigger outbreak,” he said.

“The workers and myself, we want to see the health authority involved. And I don't understand why the health authority has not come in.”

Government guidelines say an outbreak is declared when “Two or more people test positive for COVID-19 and are all linked to a specific non-household setting or event within a specified time period.”

Weber said the building is “stuffed to capacity right now” as workers deal with a holiday season compounded by a pandemic that has made online gift purchases more popular than ever.

“I've been at Canada Post 18 years. I've never seen it this busy at Christmas,” Weber said.

Saskatchewan is reporting several COVID-19 outbreaks after the weekend in buildings and workplaces of all kinds. The Lakeland Curling Centre and Anderson Community Centre in Christopher Lake announced on Facebook that the rest of the season is cancelled after a COVID-19 exposure earlier this month.

The Richardson Pioneer Recreation Centre in nearby Shellbrook closed its curling rink after the SHA advised anyone who had visited either the rink or lounge between Nov. 9 and Nov. 26 to seek testing.