Canada Post’s 55K unionized employees hit picket lines for second time in a year

For the second time in a year, Canada Post’s 55,000 employees are on strike, including around 1,400 workers in Hamilton, bringing all mail delivery to a halt.

The union and Crown corporation are still far apart at the bargaining table, but the union says it was changes from the federal government that drove them to strike this time, changes that they say will dramatically reduce delivery service for Canadians.

This time around, employees walked off the job not because negotiations stalled, but in response to an announcement from the federal minister in charge of Canada Post, allowing the Crown corporation to make some changes, like ending door-to-door delivery.

“I’m authorizing Canada Post to introduce community mail boxes to approximately 4 million more addresses which will save the corporation nearly $400 million dollars in the future,” said Joël Lightbound, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement.

Canada Post already has a program that allows seniors and those with mobility issues to still receive at-home delivery

Other changes include allowing non-urgent mail to travel by ground instead of air and closing some post offices that have been designated rural, if they are no longer in rural areas.

Canada Post says the changes are necessary to help fix their dire financial situation — the company posted a loss of $841 million before tax last year.

“We’re at a point now with mail declining and addresses increasing and Canadians using the postal service differently,” said Jon Hamilton, the VP of Communications at Canada Post.

“They’re paying more for it as tax payers and they’re using it less and less, that’s not sustainable, that was the message from the Minister yesterday. We need to go forward with making the changes to make it more sustainable.”

“It did really create a lot of outrage within the union, it was really an outrageous proposal,” said Tracey Langille, the President of Hamilton’s Local CUPW.

Langille says the proposed changes would drastically cut service for Canadians, and Hamiltonians.

“It would definitely impact service in Hamilton, as we still have a large portion of the city that is delivered door to door,” said Langille.

The union’s current collective agreement has rules against lay-offs.

The company is looking instead to downsize its work force over the next five years, as 14,000 employees are expected to retire.

“We’re built still to deliver 5 billion letters, we only deliver 2 billion,” said Hamilton.

The Crown corporation is reassessing its offers to the union, in light of changes announced by the government Thursday.

Canada Post told CHCH News Friday, they’re hoping to have those offers on the table by next week.

In the meantime, there will be no mail or parcel deliveries from Canada Post, except for government benefit cheques.

WATCH MORE: Canada Post union workers go on strike following changes to delivery services