Mail carriers in Prince Albert have been on the picket line since September 25, joining more than 50,000 postal workers across the country in a strike that has brought deliveries to a standstill.
On Wednesday morning, about 30 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 810 marched outside the Prince Albert depot at Marquis Road, waving flags and speaking with drivers who honked in support. CUPW local president Ben McCloy said the strike is about protecting jobs and services that communities rely on.
“We lost 10 full-time roles the last time door-to-door delivery was converted to community mailboxes,” McCloy said. “If the moratorium is lifted, more people will lose jobs, and families will feel that hardship. Closing rural post offices will be especially tough on seniors and people with mobility challenges who can’t just drive into the city. The North relies on Canada Post because no other couriers go there.”
McCloy said the union has been trying to negotiate for more than two years without success.
“Canada Post makes their offer and then doesn’t negotiate. That’s unfair to workers and unfair to the people of Canada who rely on our service,” he said.
Canada Post offered a different picture in a written statement from President and CEO Doug Ettinger. The corporation said fewer than one in four Canadians still receive door-to-door delivery, with 77 percent already picking up mail at community mailboxes.
“Canadians deserve a postal service that is strong, stable, and fits their needs,” Ettinger said. “When Canada Post loses money, taxpayers now foot the bill, about $1 billion a year. This is not sustainable. We need to be leaner and align our operations to the modern needs of the country.”
Canada Post said it plans to update its 30-year-old list of protected rural post offices, focusing on “truly rural, northern, and Indigenous communities,” while continuing to serve customers with mobility challenges through its Delivery Accommodation Program, which offers home delivery and other adjustments.
Local businesses are feeling the pinch as well. Patty Hughes, CEO of the Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce, said members were caught off guard when the strike began.
“The concern was the immediate notice; some businesses literally showed up with parcels that morning and suddenly couldn’t send them,” Hughes said. “It’s created uncertainty, and confidence in using Canada Post is going to take time to rebuild.”
Retailers have been among the hardest hit, but Hughes said the disruption spans many sectors, from parcels to cheques.
“We’ve subsidized it significantly. Can we continue to do that? If a business model can’t survive as it is, it has to make changes. Consumers should expect some significant changes in order to keep this service in our country.”
While negotiations continue at the national level, McCloy said members will stay on the picket line until a fair proposal is on the table.
“We’re standing up for the services Canadians deserve,” he said.
