55,000 Postal Workers in Canada Strike Over Pay

Postal workers across Canada went on strike starting on Friday over pay and working conditions, a work stoppage that is expected to severely disrupt deliveries ahead of the busy holiday period.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers, which represents about 55,000 people, said in a statement that it had begun the nationwide strike, which started at midnight, after a year of failed negotiations with Canada Post, the country’s main postal operator.

The strike will shut down Canada Post’s operations, and no mail or parcels will be processed or delivered through the system, the company said in a statement. Customers should expect delays for items already in the mail network, it said, and some post offices will temporarily close.

“A national strike of any length will impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends,” said Canada Post, which is owned by the Canadian government. Other courier services, which have been muscling in on Canada Post’s business in recent years, will continue running.

Postal workers voted to strike last month after protracted talks failed to reach a new labor agreement.

Canada Post had offered workers a wage increase of 11.5 percent over four years, along with pension and job security benefits. The company also said that it had proposed changes to create a “more flexible and affordable delivery model” that would allow it to expand its delivery schedule from weekdays only to seven days a week.