Another day, another Canada Post strike. On Monday, October 22nd, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) launched the first round of 24-hour walkouts in the cities of Edmonton, Windsor, Halifax, and Victoria. Today, they're doing the same in Toronto and most of the GTA, excluding Scarborough.READ MORE: Canadian Locals Affected By The Canada Post Strike Couldn't Care Less
According to the CUPW, 9,000 Toronto-branch members walked off the job around midnight last night and began picketing. While yesterday's walkouts spanned across four different provinces, it's the strike happening today that will ultimately impact Canada the most.
@maria.peroninoIn response to the GTA strike, Canada Post has sent out a statement saying customers around the country will experience delays since Toronto is a key processing hub.READ MORE: This Is What You Need To Know If You Plan On Using Canada Post While Workers Are On Strike
"The union's rotating strike will, therefore, have a significant impact on our operations," spokesperson Jon Hamilton said. "Canada Post will make every effort to minimize the impact."
According to Canada Post documents, transportation times for GTA mail and parcels around the country can take anywhere from 2-12 days. On top of that, you've also got to add an extra day for preparation.
Rotating postal strike arrives in the GTA. Workers from @cupw hit the picket lines at both the Gateway sorting station in Mississauga and the Eastern Ave sorting station. @CanadaPost says to expect delays pic.twitter.com/GxyPzuAJPV
The 24-hour strike will definitely be causing delays in the area as well as the rest of the country. For example, if you live in Alberta and placed an order on Monday, October 22nd which has to go through Toronto, you may not see it until Thursday, November 8th. This factors in the extra day for processing, the 12 business days it could take in transport as well as the day-long strike.
The union has also said they're continuing to negotiate with union workers on issues such as increased wages, job security, improved benefits, and gender equality.
The CUPW has clearly stated they don't plan on backing down until an agreement has been reached. "Canada Post has to talk about the changing nature of postal work," Mike Palecek, CUPW National President said in a statement. “We need to address health and safety concerns and precarious work, as well as gender equality. We will stay at the bargaining table and on the picket line for as long as it takes to get a fair deal for our members.”
@dlchasinIf the conflict fails to be resolved, the CUPW will be launching another round of 24-hour strikes tomorrow. They haven't yet announced where they plan to walk out next.Source: CUPW, Canada Post