Local businesses, non-profits feeling squeezed by postal strike
As walkouts continue, Canada Post says that mail from Hamilton area faces ‘major’ delays
CANADA POST IS WARNING of “major” processing delays for packages and mail from the Hamilton area through the holiday season and into the new year, as a month-long labour dispute with its employees continues.
The postal service said on its website it won’t be able to honour its delivery standards because of rotating strikes in more than 200 communities and pointed to major processing delays for mail from southwestern Ontario.
In Hamilton, the impact is being felt by businesses and not-for-profits alike.
Jaime Drayer, who handcrafts mugs, cards, prints and apparel for her business, Kitties and Cabernet, said she’s frustrated — not with the Canada Post workers, but with the Crown corporation for not putting measures in place to “make sure they keep their customers happy.”
While Christmas is typically her busiest time, the e-commerce site Etsy is reporting her sales are down 43 per cent this year, and she is having to warn customers she can no longer guarantee delivery by her holiday cut-off dates.
Having left her job in January, Drayer had been looking forward to
the first Christmas in which she could dedicate herself to her craft full-time.
“It’s extra disappointing on a personal level,” she said.
Two local social service agencies are also feeling the impact.
For Mission Services of Hamilton, the mail backlog is a “huge issue,” said associate executive director Wendy Kennelly.
The organization receives a “significant” portion of its donations in November and December — close to half of what it raises in a year — and collected more than 6,000 cheques last December alone, she said.
Many donors prefer to mail in cheques, and a large number respond to what the organization sends them.
The same goes for Good Shepherd, which finds the situation “very concerning,” said director of planning and community relations Alan Whittle.
“This is a critical time of year for us because we rely heavily upon people mailing donations,” he said.
Independent clothing and lifestyle store
White Elephant posted a message on its website warning of possible delays during the Christmas season.
Co-owner Hollie Pocsai said the store hasn’t experienced any “major hiccups” because of the strike, and it supports the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in its negotiations.
The union and the postal service have been unable to reach new collective agreements for two bargaining units after 10 months of talks.
Canada Post has said it provided “significant” offers to its employees, including wage hikes, but the union has said “they don’t address a single of our major issues,” which include health and safety concerns.
Earlier this week, CUPW national president Mike Palecek said he would not ask his members to return to work under conditions that effectively have some employees working without compensation.
On Tuesday, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu said Ottawa is prepared to order an end to rotating strikes by Canada Post employees if a deal isn’t reached soon.