The federal government says it may intervene in the Canada Post strike afterall.
Ottawa has stayed out of the month-long dispute until now, giving the corporation and union an opportunity to settle their differences and get the mail moving again.
But during a news conference this morning, federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said if the Canada Industrial Relations Board determines that an agreement is unlikely by the end of this year, the government will order strikers back to work.
Striking postal workers in St. John’s were about to take their fight to two MPs’ offices in the metro region over the lunch hour when they were hit with that news.
Striking postal workers on Torbay Road in St. John’s on Friday. (VOCM News)
It came five minutes before they were to commence rallies outside the offices of Joanne Thompson and Seamus O’Regan at noon.
Vice-president of the CUPW local in St. John’s, Mike Browne, says they were “disappointed” and “frustrated” with the development, but also not surprised.
He says Canada Post had a year and a half to negotiate a deal “and they didn’t.”
Browne says striking workers are waiting to hear from their national office before making their next move.
Canada Post, meanwhile, says it is reviewing the details of MacKinnon’s announcement to ensure they are prepared to “participate in the process and comply with the minister’s directive.”
The corporation added they look forward to welcoming employees back to work, saying details of its re-start plan will be made available online once finalized.
The key sticking points in the strike continue to be wages, job security and potential expansion into weekend delivery.
