Canada Post workers strike continues for a second day
No word on whether it will continue today in Peterborough
Canada Post workers in Peterborough remained off the job Tuesday for the second day in a row after first taking strike action at 8 a.m. Monday.
Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 590, which represents about 170 Canada Post workers in the Peterborough area, continued picketing as part of the rotating strike.
There was no word by Tuesday night whether the strike would continue for a third day in Peterborough.
Canada Post workers in Cobourg walked out at 7 a.m. Tuesday. Monday’s walkout in Oshawa was halted by CUPW on Tuesday morning.
Because of the potential for a strike, the City of Peterborough did not mail out Wednesday’s Ontario Works cheques\.
Recipients were asked to pick up their cheques at the city’s social services office in the Charlotte Mews at 178 Charlotte St.. Cheques can be picked up Wednesday between 8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Those receiving by direct deposit will have their
payments processed into accounts on Wednesday.
It’s different for Ontario Disability Support Program recipients.
ODSP recipients who choose to receive their payments by mail were asked by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services to contact their local office to find out when and where they can pick up their cheque, or sign up for direct bank deposit or request a reloadable payment card to ensure they get their payment on time.
ODSP recipients can call 1-800267-8097 or 1-800-808-2268 for further information.
Meanwhile about 6,000 Canada Post employees in Montreal also joined the walkout at 10:30 p.m. local time Monday, joining several other cities participating in the 24-hour strikes.
CUPW says walkouts are being held in five B.C. cities, including Fraser Valley West, Prince George, Squamish and Royal City.
Workers are also out in Weyburn, Sask., and seven Ontario communities, including Peterborough, Cobourg, Deep River, Fort Frances and Kapuskasing.
Last week, 9,000 workers in the Toronto area walked off the job for two days, forcing delays in shipments of tens of thousands of letters and parcels across the country.
In a statement, Canada Post warns that the Montreal walkout will have a significant impact on operations, since it is an important processing hub.
“Canada Post will make every effort to minimize the impact, but customers well beyond Montreal may see delays for parcel and mail delivery,” the Crown corporation said.
CUPW and the postal service have been unable to reach new collective agreements for the two bargaining units in 10 months of negotiations.
“We outlined our major issues to Canada Post at the very beginning of the negotiation process ... and clearly stated that we would not sign any agreements that don’t address overwork and overburdening, equality and full-time jobs,” CUPW national president Mike Palecek said in a statement.
“Our position hasn’t changed. We aren’t just bargaining for today, we are bargaining for the future — for our members and everyone who relies on the postal service.”
Labour Minister Patty Hajdu appointed Morton Mitchnick, a former chairman of the Ontario Labour Relations Board, last week to help the two parties resolve their contract differences.