There will be no mail – in or out – on Friday as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ rotating strikes have come to Vancouver.
“The Vancouver local is on strike as of 9 a.m. this morning. It is a 24-hour strike at this point. It may continue,” said CUPW representative Blair Bancroft outside the Canada Post delivery depot on West Third Street in North Vancouver Friday morning.
At issue in the dispute, according to the union, are wage equality, overburdening on the letter carriers and forced overtime.
“There’s a laundry list, honestly, but those are the main sticking points,” Bancroft said.
“If anybody was in our position, where they’re put in the position to do things that they shouldn’t be doing or forced to work in the dark or unsafe conditions, I think they would have a problem with that too.”
Employment, Workforce, and Labour Minister Patty Hajdu has appointed a mediator to assist the two sides in finding a negotiated agreement.
“We remain committed to the bargaining process,” a statement from Canada Post read. “The Corporation has made significant offers to CUPW, which include increased wages, job security, and improved benefits and has not asked for any concessions in return. We value the relationship with the union and have been able to find common ground on some issues and have also committed to work together constructively on several important files.”
