Jennifer Henson, a local mail delivery worker, is concerned as the Canada Post strike reaches the two-week mark.
Henson, a rural-suburban Canada Post mail carrier who lives in Calgary, delivers mail in Bragg Creek, Alta., a hamlet west of the city, and along Highway 8. She’s been with Canada Post for 16 years.
Things are getting tough after two weeks on the picket line, she said.
“It’s getting a bit daunting, it’s getting a bit scary. Obviously, we’re not making a paycheck — and in today’s economy, [that’s] not suitable for anybody,” she said.
Henson’s spouse also works for Canada Post. Given neither of them have income at the moment, she decided to move her family to live with her parents and deferred payments on a number of expenses. She added she has two teenaged sons to provide for.
She says she and other Canada Post workers on the picket line get some support from Calgarians who pass by.
Jennifer Henson, a rural-suburban mail carrier with Canada Post who lives in Calgary, is getting worried after spending two weeks on the picket line. (Submitted by Jennifer Henson)
“People that smile and wave and honk as they drive by. We’ve had people that have come and dropped off coffee for us, just people walking saying that they support us, which obviously helps the morale hugely,” Henson said.
“Of course, you do get the ones that have really horrible things to say, which is hard.”
She added some people resent Canada Post workers for striking so close to the holidays, accusing them of “cancelling Christmas.”
“This is when we are in the position to strike and it’s unfortunate because, as much as it’s hurting us, it’s also hurting the public, which we don’t want,” Henson said, adding she’s confident other carriers feel the same way.
Canada Post workers are striking for safer working conditions, better pay and to keep the same pension and benefits. Henson feels it’s not too much to ask, given the high cost of living.
“At the end of the day, we all want a job, we all want a career that we can be proud of, and we all want a career that can pay the bills,” she said.
“We’re not asking for the moon and the stars; we’re asking for a fair wage increase.”
Henson added she didn’t anticipate the strike to continue for as long as it has, and was not prepared to be out of work for so long.
“We all really thought and hoped that Canada Post and the union would hammer out a deal prior to Black Friday, seeing as that’s our first big, busy day prior to Christmas,” she said.
“How long is this going to go on? How long are we going to do this? It’s terrifying. It really is terrifying… Canada Post workers are no different than any other Canadian. We’re all struggling. We’re all feeling the pinch.”
Wycliffe Oduor, CUPW Calgary Local 710 president, says union members are feeling disappointed that Canada Post and the union are still in negotiations after two weeks.
He says things are getting tough financially for union members as the strike prolongs.
“I’m hearing that from our members. I mean, they did expect us to have a contract before the end of this year,” Oduor said, adding benefits have been discontinued.
“We’ve got calls from our own members who are telling us that they’ve gone for their prescription. Some are life saving prescriptions, and that they’ve been cut off. Those who are on long-term disability are going through the same.”
Canada Post offered CUPW the chance to cover the cost of employee prescription benefits in the event of a strike. The company says the union declined. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press)
Those who had surgeries scheduled have had to make the tough call to reconsider them because there’s no coverage available.
In a statement to CBC News, Canada Post said it provided CUPW with the opportunity to cover the cost of employee prescription benefits in the event they went on strike, but the union refused to do so.
Canada Post is considering its options to move negotiations forward with greater urgency and remains committed to negotiating new collective agreements, the statement said.
Temporary layoffs
The union representing Canada Post workers says the Crown corporation’s latest move has been temporarily laying off striking employees as the labour action by more than 55,000 workers continues.
Canada Post spokeswoman Lisa Liu confirmed the layoffs to CBC News.
“Unfortunately, due to CUPW’s ongoing national labour disruption and the significant impact on the company, we have made adjustments to our operations,” Liu wrote in a statement.
Oduor said he was notified that one employee, who has been with the company since 2017, was laid off.
“That’s painful and hard on families, especially going into the holiday season. But I did reassure him that our union will stand up for him and fight until he is reinstated, among others. I’ve had over 10 calls already over the past one week,” he said.