The postal strike is about to enter its third week with no talks or mediation scheduled, and no end in sight.
And the two sides appear to be getting more entrenched with Canada Post confirming the temporary layoff of employees, something the union calls a ‘scare tactic.’
Deadlines for mailing parcels and letters begin to kick in in December, but they are in danger of falling by the wayside.
Craig Dyer, President of CUP-W St. John’s Local, says they haven’t even begun to address wages yet – it’s the other issues they are trying to reach an agreement on, like rollbacks in service by Canada Post.
“We are at the table saying ‘we want to deliver on weekends.’ What we’re giving up is premium rates, either overtime or double time, and we’re willing to give that up in order to be more competitive. However, the corporation has a totally different agenda,” says Dyer.
Meanwhile, striking union members will be having a 24-hour drive-thru food drive in support of the St. Vincent de Paul, Mount Pearl Conference Food Bank at the main processing plant on Kenmount Road starting at midnight tonight. That will be exactly two weeks since the strike began.)
