By CHAT News Today

Rotating Canada Post strikes arrive in Medicine Hat

Nov 5, 2018 | 8:56 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The rotating strikes by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have made their way to Medicine Hat.

On Monday morning, the CUPW announced workers in Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton have officially walked off the job.

This is the first time in the current labour action that hit Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Calgary and Edmonton were previously part of the rotating strike action in October.

“We have to ramp up activities across the country because nothing’s happening at the bargaining table right now and we need for stuff to happen,” said Doris Salmaso, local president for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

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Strikes are also underway in parts of Ontario and Newfoundland.

“Apparently there’s like 150 trailers parked around Montreal, Toronto, getting ready to get unloaded but there’s nobody to do it,” Salmaso added.

In Medicine Hat, workers walked the picket line outside of the sorting facility on Kipling Street and occupied the building, making sure no work was done inside.

“We’ve been threatened to have the police called,” Salmaso said. “Nothing’s happened so far.”

Workers across Canada have been on rotating strikes since October 22. Negotiations have centered around health and safety concerns, wages, workloads and staffing. A mediator was appointed to held the two sides reach a deal, but a deal has not yet been reached.

Canada Post said the strikes have caused a backlog in their delivery network, and customers can see delays in delivery of up to several days.

With files from Ashley Wiebe.