The Latest on the Canada Post strike

The rotating strikes by Canada Post workers could soon be coming to an end.

Heather Mate is fed up with the rotating strikes.

She handles the shipping of online sales for bra makers supply on Ottawa Street. She says internet orders make up 80% of their business.

They’ve had to start looking at other shipping options, because she says they can’t rely on Canada Post anymore.

The Prime Minister is trying to push through back to work legislation, and if Bill C-89 is approved by the Senate, postal workers will have to stop the rotating strikes.

That approach was met with mixed feelings by consumers.

The president of the Canadian Postal Workers Union Local 548 in Hamilton is upset that the government is stepping in when bargaining was still happening.

CUPW’s 50,000 members, 1300 in Hamilton, are demanding better pay for rural and suburban carriers, greater job security, minimum guaranteed hours and safer working conditions.

The union rejected an offer last week that included a 2% annual wage increase, overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week and a 10 million dollar health and safety fund for workers.

The Union said it wasn’t enough and countered the offer, asking for a 2.9% annual wage increase, double time for all hours if an employee works on their 6th or 7th shift of the week and protection of victims of domestic violence.

Canada Post’s president told the Senate that last year 3.6 million parcels were delivered over holiday weekends by Canada Post. This weekend they expect to deliver only 30,000 when they had originally planned for 500,000 and more than 350 trucks wait at processing centres for unloading but the Union doesn’t believe the backlog is that severe.