Federal gov’t won’t mandate back-to-work legislation for postal workers
Posted Jun 14, 2011 10:13:34 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – The federal government appears to have ruled out back-to-work legislation as rotating postal strikes continue.
Montreal and Toronto are the targets of today’s strikes, which means 15,000 postal workers in the two cities have walked off the job.
A spokesperson for Labour Minister Lisa Raitt says the government is still hoping for a negotiated settlement.
But there is still no sign of an agreement between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Canada Post spokesman Jon Hamilton is accusing the union of undermining the future viability of the service.
He says some lost business may never return, undermining a service that already faces fierce competition from the private sector and the Internet.
CUPW president Denis Lemelin disputes that the strikes are severely damaging, saying only a third of the country has been affected.
Meantime, Even though Ottawa isn’t on the rotating strike list for Tuesday — pickets were set up at the main sorting station on Industrial Avenue.
Canada Post carriers say they want to get back to work five days a week, adding there is just as much mail as there always was despite recent reports of a 50 per cent drop.
There were earlier reports some other workers were delayed getting into the building.
