TIMMINS - As the postal strike enters its fourth week, the local union president doesn’t see it ending anytime soon.
In a statement yesterday (Dec. 8), Canada Post said the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has increased its demands or reverted to previous positions.
Ed Yee is the Timmins Local 624 president and shared his thoughts on the ongoing labour dispute.
“My official PR response is there's no update. My personal opinion is everyone's still acting like children and they need to figure this out,” Yee said.
“I don’t think anyone expected us to still be out at this time. I just feel bad for everyone right now. But, the outlook doesn't look good to me. I don't see this ending anytime soon.”
The strike, which has affected postal services across Canada, has been particularly disruptive for rural and northern communities. Yee expressed sympathy for residents in places like Moosonee and Cochrane, where postal services are crucial for daily life.
“I feel bad for them. Supposedly you can’t even buy anything from Cochrane now from Amazon. They won’t ship. It’s shocking we’re still striking. I really thought they would figure it out by now,” he said.
Yee emphasized that the ongoing strike is not just about the current workers, but about the future of postal employees and their working conditions.
He also noted that while the situation remains bleak, to his knowledge, no Purolator trucks, which are owned by Canada Post, have been held up locally.
The Canada Post strike started on Nov. 14 and involves more than 55,000 workers.