A feared postal strike has come more slowly than expected, but is now under way with 24-hour rolling strikes set to hit the country.
With negotiations falling, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) walked off the job on Thursday night. Rather than a national strike, the union began with a 24-hour strike in Winnipeg.
As of press time, the union planned to move the strike to Hamilton over the weekend, but had not said where the next picket line would go up.
Edmonton CUPW president Bev Ray said the union wants to be working, but felt compelled to strike. It chose the rotating strikes to limit the impact on Canadians.
On wages, the union's last offer sought a 3.3-per cent increase in 2011 followed by 2.75 per cent spread over the next three years. Canada Post is offering a 1.9 per cent increase in each of the next three years and a 2 per cent raise in the fourth year of the contract.
Canada Post wants new employees to start at lower wages, but Ray said the union won't accept that.
"There is no way we were going to concede to having a second group of people come on board who are getting a lower rate of pay for doing the exact same work."
John Caines, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said the new employees would start at $19 per hour.
"They are looking out for the unborn postal worker right now. We are dealing with the contract we have in front of us."
The other issue, Canada Post's modernization program, is transforming the way mail is delivered with new sorting equipment and changes to the way carriers deliver it.
The union has been concerned about the changes since they were introduced, arguing it leads to heavier loads and reduced safety.
Caines said safety issues should be dealt with constantly.
"What they are talking about is health and safety. Health and safety is an ongoing issue. This is not something for the negotiation table."
Service disruptions
Ray did not have information on where the rotating strikes would be moving to next, adding a national strike remains a possibility if there isn't movement at the negotiating table.
"This is where negotiations get tough and the best position for everybody would be if Canada Post stepped up to the plate and got serious about actually bargaining."
Caines said Canada Post has no intention of going to a lockout and simply wants to resolve the issue and get back to business as usual.
He said mail volumes have been on a steady decline since talk of the strike began. The rotating strikes are not having any kind of broader affect on national mail delivery.
Pension cheques and other government social assistance cheques will continue to be delivered in the event of a strike, as part of a long-standing agreement between the union and Canada Post.
The City of St. Albert still expects residents to pay utility bills and other charges during a strike and has posted information on the city's website about how residents can pay.
It is unclear whether rural areas around St. Albert will receive the Gazette in the event of a postal strike since the paper is delivered directly to post offices.
Copies will still be available through newspaper boxes. A map of locations is available at www.stalbertgazette.com under the Gazette drop-down menu and by clicking on Reader Services.
Newspaper delivery within St. Albert will not be affected.
