B.C. union members show support for Canada Post workers

Members from several major B.C. unions have set up picket-lines at a mail plant in Richmond, B.C., in solidarity with postal workers who have been legislated back to work. 

Federal back-to-work legislation took effect at noon ET Tuesday after more than five weeks of rotating strikes. The government claimed it was forced to act because of the upcoming Christmas holiday season.

Workers forming picket lines in front of the facility say the forced legislation hampers the postal workers' right to collectively bargain. They formed a line interfering with trucks moving in and out of the building. The Richmond plant is the third largest in the country.

RCMP were on scene to ensure that the protesters weren't blocking traffic, which is a criminal offence.

"We're not stopping anything, we're just delaying things," said tug boat worker Terry Engler. "It's important that the government understand that you can't do this to workers and have no consequences."

"Workers need to protect each other. We need to protect the bottom — the people who are paid the lowest," he added. "Because, basically, if we don't do that, then all our wages go down."

Many of the workers behind the wheel honked in solidarity with the protesters.

'A fight with labour'

CUPW national president Mike Palecek says while his 50,000 members are prohibited from picketing, other union members face don't face the same restrictions.

"What we're seeing in Vancouver today is that instead of resolving our dispute with Canada Post, the Trudeau government has picked a fight with labour," Palecek said in a statement. " 'An injury to one is an injury to all' is much more than a slogan."

The ongoing Canada Post strike arose out of failed negotiations between the union and the Crown corporation. The union is pushing for improved job security, an end to forced overtime and better health and safety measures.

Workers have mounted rotating strikes across the country since mid-October. Parcels have been piling up and deliveries from other countries have been suspended.

Canada Post says it's doing what it can to get mail and parcels sorted in B.C. while the non-CUPW pickets disrupted delivery truck traffic.

"Canada Post is making every effort to minimize service disruptions and resolve the situation."

The agency has warned of significant delivery delays across the country through January as a result of the rotating strikes by CUPW members that began Oct. 22.