OTTAWA — Canada Post and the union representing more than 55,000 striking workers appeared closer to resuming negotiations as the strike entered its fourth week.
Federal mediation was put on hold last week due to the sides being too far apart.
This week the Canadian Union of Postal Workers said it sent new counter-proposals to the mediator in the hopes that talks can resume, which Canada Post said it’s reviewing.
Calls for government intervention have been mounting from the business community, but so far the government has said it’s not stepping in.
The federal government has intervened in other high-profile labour disputes recently, including the ports, using a controversial section of the law to get the labour board to order binding arbitration.
Some of the sticking points for the union include wage increases, as well as a push to expand into weekend delivery, with the two sides in disagreement over how to staff the expansion.
Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike.
Purolator said in an email that severe weather and a surge in package volumes prompted it to freeze service for some partners, citing the need to “prioritize critical shipments.”
Couriers such as eShipper, which act as middlemen between smaller e-commerce businesses and large carriers, are among the companies temporarily barred from shipping with Purolator and UPS.
A notice sent from eShipper to clients and obtained by The Canadian Press says “no shipments will be processed or moved by these carriers” for 48 hours, starting Wednesday.
Montreal-based cookie maker Félix & Norton's chief operating officer Simon Paquin says the cargo halt and broader postal strike fallout could cost the company its “whole holiday season.”
