On December 5, about a dozen postal workers gathered on the sidewalk in front of the Post Office on Second Street West, braving a wet, wintry day to picket in solidarity with the ongoing Canada Post strike. Holdingsigns, marching, and sipping hot coffee, the group highlighted their push for better wages, improved working conditions, and job security.
The strike, now in its third week, began on November 15 and has disrupted mail and parcel deliveries nationwide. Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) are demanding wage increases to match inflation—24% over four years—while Canada Post has offered 11.5% over the same period.
Christopher Valade, a local letter carrier and Grievance Officer for CUPW Local 5225, expressed the workers’ determination. “We’re just out here trying to support our union in the fight for better wages, but also for health and safety issues that we’ve encountered,” Valade said.
Despite efforts to maintain morale, the financial strain of the strike is evident. “Financially, yes, there is a burden on most of us,” Valade noted. “Some of us work part-time jobs now just to try and accommodate it.”
Valade also emphasized Canada Post’s essential role in the country, particularly in remote regions. “We are primarily funded by the sales of our services, not by taxpayer money. We’re essential, especially for thenorthern parts of Canada.”
Negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post have shown limitedprogress. A federal mediator has been appointed to assist, but with the strike continuing into the holiday season, Canadians face growing delays in mail and parcel deliveries.
