This marks week three of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) strike and members are continuing their fight and standing strong on the picket line. So far, no agreement has been reached between the union and the postal service.
Kim Rouble is a letter carrier from Depot 1 and president of CUPW’s London Local chapter. Rouble expressed frustration over Canada Post’s unwillingness to address key issues. “We entered negotiations over a year ago in November. Despite our efforts to progress at the table, the corporation has not met us with the fairness they promised us,” said Ruble.
Canadian post box
(credit https://www.flickr.com/photos/thetransitcamera/44342025694)
She recalled the sacrifices workers made during the COVID-19 pandemic. “They asked us to sign a contract extension during COVID, promising to deal with wage increases and other issues later. We agreed because we wanted to keep the country running. But now, they’ve reneged on their promises.”
Ruble highlighted the community’s unwavering support as a source of encouragement. “I’ve been on the line many times over the years, but I’ve never seen public support like this. People are honking their horns, showing solidarity. It’s heartwarming.”
However, the strike has taken a toll on CUPW members, especially those in vulnerable situations. Ruble revealed a troubling development: “Members on short- or long-term disability, who previously retained benefits during strikes, are now being cut off completely. These are life-and-death situations for some of our most vulnerable workers.”
For long-time Canada Post workers like one picket captain, the struggle hits home. “I have children and a grandchild, so right now, I’m looking at Christmas too. Everyone in the public is saying, we’re ruining Christmas, well we have Christmas too.”
“We’re out here, we’re fighting for our rights. We deserve better working conditions, we deserve a better wage. We deserve to have our pensions protected, like we deserve this.”
She added a powerful reminder: “We’re not just 50,000 postal workers, we’re 50,000 families. We all have families, we all have other people so it’s not just 50,000 people, It’s 50,000 times however many people are in your family.”
As the strike continues, CUPW members remain united in their call for fairness and sustainability, bolstered by an outpouring of public support.
