Iqaluit residents roll with threat of a mail strike

Some Iqaluit residents aren’t losing sleep over the possibility of a strike at Canada Post, based on their responses during interviews Thursday outside the city’s two post offices.

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers will be in a legal position to strike at 12:01 a.m. Friday unless a last-minute agreement is reached with Canada Post. Wages are the main issue, with Canada Post offering an 11.5 per cent increase over four year and the union asking for 22 per cent over four years.

Mary Flaherty says she believes the impending Canada Post strike might have a big impact on people’s mailing needs leading up to the holidays. (Photo by Daron Letts)

“Everything is going to be upside-down,” said Mary Flaherty, as she retrieved some bills from her post office box at the Astro Hill post office.

Others, though, appeared less worried when asked what they thought about a potential mail strike.

Mayor Solomon Awa said he’s resigned to the delays a strike could cause, as he checked his mailbox Thursday.

“What can we do? There’s nothing we can do,” he said. “It’s up to the workers if they want to strike. There’s nothing we can do to prepare — just go with it.”

Aaron Swan, who arrived to pick up a parcel, said he’s travelling for the holidays so a strike won’t affect his household, except for an item he’s waiting for that’s currently in transit.

“It’s not too big a deal,” he said. “It won’t affect me that much.”

Iqaluit Mayor Solomon Awa, outside the Astro Hill post office the day before a potential strike by Canada Post workers, says “just go with it” is the only thing customers can do. (Photo by Daron Letts)

Of the eight residents Nunatsiaq News spoke with, about half said the potential strike is a non-issue for them.

“Thankfully, we have the Amazon Hub,” said Katharine Tagak. “I’ve made plans.”

The postal workers’ union issued a 72-hour strike notice on Tuesday, setting the stage for a walkout at midnight. That was followed by a notice from Canada Post that workers will be locked out Friday at 8 a.m., according to a union news release.

In a news release Thursday, the national union said if there is no contract settlement it will implement rotating strikes “to minimize service disruptions.”

“Customers should be prepared for possible delays in the processing and delivery of mail and parcels,” the release advised.

In its own news release, Canada Post said it and the union have agreed to continue delivery of government-issued cheques, such as pensions and family support, during a work disruption.

Those cheques for November will be delivered through the mail as usual on Nov. 20.

The most recent collective agreement between Canada Post and its unionized workers expired Dec. 31, 2023.