Canada Post says operations will resume tomorrow (Tuesday) after a month-long strike by 55-thousand members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
On Friday, Federal Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to first determine whether a new deal was possible by the end of the year.
If not, then the striking workers would have to return to their jobs.
The Board heard from both sides over the weekend, and issued its decision late yesterday that the two sides were too far apart.
The backlog is expected to take weeks to clear.
The minister’s order also extends the contract between the Crown corporation and its employees until late May, and establishes a commission to look into why the two sides are so far apart.
There are 88 unionized postal workers in the Cariboo…45 in Quesnel, 34 in Williams Lake and 9 in 100 Mile House.
Canada Post issued the following bulletin on what customers can expect in the short-term:
Parcels, Lettermail and Direct Marketing mail
· On a first-in, first-out basis, Canada Post will start working through the mail and parcels trapped in the system since the strike began on November 15, 2024.
· New commercial volumes will not be accepted into the network until Thursday, December 19.
· Service guarantees are suspended as the company ramps up operations.
· Canadians should expect delivery delays through the remainder of 2024 and into January 2025.
· Post office hours of operation may vary as the company works to stabilize operations.
International mail and parcels
· Canada Post will work to process a significant accumulation of international mail and parcels currently queued up to enter the postal system.
· Customers should expect delays into 2025.
· The postal system will start accepting new international mail on December 23.
– with files from Vista Radio newswire
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