Postal union could strike Friday, affecting deliveries across the North

Mail delivery across the country could halt for the second time in six months if postal workers in southern Canada go on strike Friday morning.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, representing roughly 55,000 workers, issued a 72-hour strike Monday notice to Canada Post. The strike is planned to begin early Friday, when the union’s collective agreement with Canada Post expires.

The new notice is a continuation of its “legal strike that was put on pause” last year, the union said Tuesday in a news release Tuesday.

The previous strike ran from Nov. 15 to Dec. 17, when the union was ordered back to work by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board.

Wages were the main issue that caused that job action.

According to the federal government job bank, letter carriers in Canada earn between $22 and $32 an hour.

Northern and remote communities depend on Canada Post more than many others, as most goods in the territories are imported from the south.

Canada Post’s 45 Nunavut employees will not join the strike, as they are represented by a different union — the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association, which has maintained a no-strike, no-lockout clause with Canada Post since 1902.

But shipments to the North saw delays last year because of rotating strikes at southern mail distribution facilities.

Amazon shipments were delayed to most communities as well during last year’s strike until the labour dispute was over. Of the 25 Nunavut communities, Iqaluit is the only one where Amazon parcels can be delivered to a specialized hub instead of a post office.

In a news release Tuesday, Canada Post said it has issued new contract offers to its rural and suburban mail carriers, including wage increases of six per cent, then three per cent, two per cent and two per cent over four years.

If the national strike happens, all of Canada’s post offices will be impacted as “mail and parcels will not be delivered, and no new items will be accepted until the disruption is over,” Canada Post said in a statement Monday, adding that items already in the system will be “secured” but not delivered.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have agreed to make an exemption for government assistance cheques, such as pensions and family support, which will be delivered even during a labour disruption. There is also an exception for animals being shipped.

“A process is in place to ensure these deliveries continue during a labour disruption,” Canada Post said in its statement Monday, while adding that no new shipments will be accepted.

Some banks have issued notices to customers warning about delays to paper communications during a strike.