While the rotating postal worker strike moving across the country has yet to hit Prince Rupert, people walking by the Canada Post office on Third Avenue would have seen workers standing out front throughout the day in what Canadian Union of Postal Workers representative Paula Picard called an “information picket”.
The information picket included workers out front of the main doors handing out flyers to passers-by requesting they phone or e-mail Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt to stop the cuts proposed by the corporation. It also comes shortly after Canada Post announced it would be reducing mail service from five days per week to three.
“Canada Post has essentially locked out mail carriers on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Their claim is that since the start of the revolving strike they have lost billions of dollars and the amount of mail has dropped off, although we don't see that and the mail is piling up in there as we speak,” said Picard, noting that carriers will be outside Canada Post on Tuesdays and Thursdays for as long as they are locked out.
“We've had two shifts going, one crew in the morning and one in the afternoon, so there has been a good turnout...The response so far has been very positive. People have even asked if it was a picket line and when we tell them it is just for information they say they wouldn't cross the picket line.”
While negotiations continue, with Picard pointing to health and safety concerns related to machinery being brought in to modernize Canada Post operations as a major point of contention, there has still been no word on when or if the rotating strike will hit Prince Rupert.
“Anything is possible,” said Picard.
“That is a decision that is made by the national executive and the bargaining team based on how things are going at the bargaining table. We find out hours in advance, so it could be tomorrow. You just never know.”