Frustration from Postal Workers and the Public on Mail Dispute

PRINCE GEORGE – Striking postal workers have again rejected a proposal from Canada Post to resolve their ongoing labour dispute. This time the corporation wanted a “cooling off” period to accompany mediated talks in the New Year so that holiday mail could be delivered.
As the holiday season approaches, packages are piling up affecting many who rely on the mail.  

With a 36 percent injury rate last year and health and safety remaining the top issue in the dispute,  the general feeling of the about 150 union members working in Prince George remains one of frustration. “We’re frustrated, even doing the rotating strikes is not an easy thing to do, we want to be working full tilt, our customers are number one to us but at the same time we have a lot of health and safety issues that are not being addressed,” said CUP-W local 812 President Clark Rasmussen.

Some locals are beginning to feel the effect of the mail backlog,  becoming more concerned with Black Friday on the way followed by the holiday season. “I do a lot of letters, I have a lot of pen pals and I have a family member that I send money to and the only way I can do it is that way.  Hopefully, they get it settled,” said one local resident.

At this point, it’s not known if another rotating strike will hit Prince George. Canada Post says the suspension of strikes could allow it to begin reducing the massive backlog of mail and parcels now sitting in hundreds of trailers at sorting centres across the country.