Postal workers are not striking in Prince George - yet. Union representatives are not making promises either way on whether P.G. will be on the target list as they begin a campaign of rotating work stoppages to press Canada Post for higher pay and better working conditions.
After starting in Winnipeg on Friday, they'll go on strike in Hamilton over the weekend but have remained tightlipped about where they'll put up pickets after that.
Tami Brushey, president of the Prince George local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) said headquarters has given no indication of when this city may be next in line.
"And there's a reason for that," Brushey said. "They don't want to release any kind of picket strategy too soon, so we won't know until the day it's happening, probably within a few hours of it actually happening."
Brushey said work stoppages in Vancouver and Edmonton would also have a direct effect on service in Prince George.
"If there was to be a work stoppage in one of those cities on one day, we would notice the effects here the following day," Brushey said.
The action in Winnipeg did not have a direct impact on Prince George, said Brushey, although she added items from large-volume mailers sending west would not have arrived as quickly as usual.
CUPW's Pacific region director John Bail said the idea is to put pressure on Canada Post without disrupting the whole system.
"We want people to get their mail," he said. "It might be a little later but we'd rather they get their mail throughout this process as long as they can."
About 150 Canada Post workers hit the bricks in Winnipeg at 8:59 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday. Winnipeg was chosen as the first city to strike because it was the first city to be impacted by Canada Post's modernization program. Postal workers in Hamilton went on strike starting at 8:45 p.m. Pacific time Friday, and remain off the job for 48 hours.
WHAT'S AT ISSUE
CUPW says Canada Post wants to bring in changes that will undermine health and safety protections. Workers inside Canada Post sorting plants have to stand for eight hours on a machine daily, while outside workers walk on average 15 kilometres a day with heavy mail bags - sometimes facing bad weather and slippery footing.
Canada Post has said it needs to address labour costs, noting the letter-mail business has fallen by more than 17 per cent since 2006 due to digital communications.
In its latest offer, the Crown Corporation said it would be willing to put a controversial short-term disability program on hold, to be reviewed by a joint union-management committee.
Proposed changes to sick leave have been among the key sticking points for the union.
As well, the employer said it was willing to raise the starting wage of new hires to $19 an hour.
BUSINESS WILL BE LESS AFFECTED
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said rotating postal strikes will have less impact on businesses than a system-wide strike.
But a steady stream of such strikes will become problematic, said Dan Kelly, the federation's senior vice-president.
"It inevitably is going to throw some wrenches into the system and cause delays at the very least and a lot of stress and anxiety with small businesses," Kelly said from Ottawa.
While there are electronic payment methods, Kelly said a lot of small business owners don't use them to pay their suppliers.
"I am most concerned about business-to-business transactions because a lot of that still takes place by cheque."
CHEQUES ARE IN THE MAIL
Labour Minister Lisa Raitt urged the parties on Friday to keep talking, saying the best solution will be one that negotiators work out themselves.
In a statement, Raitt said the parties have pledged to continue delivering government mail such as Canada Pension Plan, Canada Child Tax Benefit, Old Age Security, and regular veterans' benefits will still be delivered.
The government issued a phone number for Canadians to call for information, 1-800-OCANADA for more information.
Prince George's postal workers will be taking to the streets today starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Coast Inn of the North and marching down to the Canada Post office, at 1323 5th Ave., followed by a rally.
- with files from Canadian Press
