Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers demonstrated outside the main Vancouver post office on West Georgia yesterday morning, condemning their employers for what they referred to as a “lockout” ‘ a charge Canada Post denied.

“There are some employees that are being told they can work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but the rest of them are being told they can only work Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so they’re kind of pitting us off against each other,” explained Ken Mooney, CUPW regional grievance officer for the Pacific region.

Then late last night, Canada Post suspended operations across the country after 12 days of rotating strikes by its unionized urban workers.

The Crown Corporation blames its decision on declines in mail volumes and revenue as a result of the work stoppages.

In a statement released late last night, the corporation estimates it has lost $100 million after the
latest rotating strikes in Montreal and Toronto.

It also says the post office and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers remain “far apart” on several key issues, with no progress made at the negotiating table for weeks.

Canada Post says it believes a lockout is the best way to bring a “timely resolution” to the impasse in talks.
With files from the Canadian press