Canada Post workers go on strike Friday morning, disrupting deliveries

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Canada Publish employees are on strike after failing to achieve a negotiated settlement with their employer.

Canadian Union of Postal Staff says roughly 55,000 employees are putting, claiming little progress has been made within the bargaining course of.

The strike comes as native companies are gearing up for Black Friday gross sales and Christmas procuring. In Metro Vancouver, mail from municipal governments may be affected.

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Burnaby issued a press release Friday, saying there could also be delays within the supply of vital paperwork, notices, and different correspondence despatched by mail.

Companies or residents could expertise delays in receiving enterprise licence notices, closing excellent property tax and utility notices, funds and different important paperwork.

For any excellent balances, charges, costs, or day by day curiosity could apply, the assertion stated. This may be prevented by registering for direct deposit with town.

It comes simply forward of the vacation season and on the heels of labour disputes at Canada’s ports.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Impartial Enterprise, stated that is “actually unhealthy timing” and a horrible blow to small companies — the majority of which nonetheless depend on the standard mail service.

“We’re simply getting the ports again in operation and now retailers could begin to obtain items once more that had been frozen within the ports for some time, however now they’re going to wrestle to get them out to their finish shopper due to the postal strike,” he stated.

Greg Wilson, director of presidency relations in B.C. for the Retail Council of Canada echoed Kelly, saying many B.C. companies are nonetheless ready for his or her vacation merchandise caught in containers.

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“It’s making life very troublesome for retailers…they need to know what’s being accomplished to assist and they’re pissed off,” stated Wilson.

Wilson stated small retailers don’t have promote the amount mail like bigger retailers to obtain offers on different companies similar to Fed Ex. He worries the double whammy of the port and mail strikes will result in some closing up store early within the New 12 months.

“Notably for startup companies and small companies exterior main city areas, the publish workplace remains to be the dominant technique to ship items to their clients,” he stated.

Kelly stated this will even instantly freeze up enterprise invoices already travelling via the mail system, sending folks “scrambling to attempt to get cash.”

He stated Ottawa ought to step in quickly to intervene with back-to-work laws or ship the matter to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

The Canadian Union of Postal Staff issued a 72-hour strike discover earlier within the week, saying it’s been asking for truthful wages, safer working situations and different enhancements over practically a yr of bargaining.

“We nonetheless consider we are able to obtain negotiated collective agreements, however Canada Publish should be prepared to resolve our new and excellent points,” the union stated in a press release.

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Canada Publish served the union with the lockout discover not lengthy after however had stated it didn’t intend to lock employees out.

The Crown company launched a press release early Friday morning confirming that clients will expertise delays on account of the strike.

The assertion says mail and parcels won’t be delivered at some stage in the strike, and a few publish places of work can be closed.

Canada Publish stated shutting down services will have an effect on its nationwide community, with processing and supply of mail probably needing time to return to regular as soon as the strike is over.

Canada Publish and the union have agreed to proceed delivering authorities profit cheques, such because the Canada Youngster Profit, outdated age safety and the Canada Pension Plan, through the labour disruption. It stated seniors and others who depend on the mail service will obtain well timed monetary help.

All cheques for November are set to be delivered on Nov. 20.

Service Canada has urged Canadians to arrange on-line accounts and direct deposits to obtain their advantages with out delays.

Forward of the strike deadline, federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon stated he formally appointed the director basic of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Companies as a particular mediator to assist in the talks.

“Our prime federal mediators have been working with the events tirelessly, and we at the moment are sending extra sources to the bargaining desk,” MacKinnon stated in a publish on X.

“We’re ensuring that these two teams have all the things they should attain a deal.”

With information from Postmedia

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