Canada Post union workers on strike again in Toronto

Nov 7 2018, 9:49 pm

As negotiations continue, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) are striking at Canada’s largest processing centre in Toronto for the second time in just three weeks.

Since the strike initially began on October 22, CUPW’s rotating strikes have shut down Canada Post’s operations in more than 100 communities across the country, further disrupting parcel and mail delivery.

According to a release, the union is continuing to “escalate” its strike activity, adding more communities each day and shutting down major processing centres for extended periods of time in the process.

Moving forward, the CUPW says it’s continuing strike action in parts of southern Ontario and Quebec, meanwhile, strikes have ended in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Scarborough and Pickering.

Canada Post says there is no indication when that strike will end, adding it will worsen backlogs in mail or parcel deliveries across the country.

Ahead of the union’s decision to target Toronto again, the number of trailers filled with parcels and packets waiting to be unloaded and processed at a Canada Post facilities sat at over 150.

According to the release, the escalating strikes have already shut down three of Canada Post’s largest processing facilities in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver for up to 48 hours.

“Combined, those three plants can process a million parcels and packets a day for communities across the country.”

The CUPW has been negotiating with Canada Post for nearly a year over the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units.

Key demands for postal workers during bargaining include:

  • Job security
  • End to forced overtime and overburdening
  • Better health and safety measures
  • Service expansion
  • Equality for RSMCs

“Canada Post remains committed to the bargaining process. The Corporation has made significant offers to CUPW that include increased wages, job security, and improved benefits, and it has not asked for any concessions in return,” reads the release.

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