Chastin Martel
Lakeside Leader
A postal strike started on Friday, September 26. If it continues past Tuesday, September 30, people who have a subscription with the Lakeside Leader can come to the office (101 3rd Ave. NE) to pick up an issue. If you are unable to pick-up in person, The Leader will mail them out once the strike is over. However, if you still would like to receive the paper during the strike, we can email digital copies. If you wish to receive the paper digitally, please email lakesideleader@gmail.com.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has launched a national strike following a government announcement on Canada Post’s transformation.
A CUPW news release says that Joël Lightbound, the fedeeral minister responsible for Canada Post gave an update on September 25. In his update, Lightbound announced the government is instructing Canada Post to convert four million addresses to community mailboxes, gutting the rural moratorium on post office closures, give Canada Post more flexibility with delivery, and allowing stamp raises more often.
During the resulting strike, operations will shut down, affecting many Canadians and businesses nation wide. Mail and parcels will not be processed and delivered during the strike. Some post offices will close.
Items already in the mail system will be suspended. Customers that have schedule pickups will be canceled and no new items will be accepted while the strike is in place. Once the strike is over, mail and parcels will be delivered as fast as possible.
“We’re disappointed that the union chose to escalate their strike activity, which will further deteriorate Canada Post’s financial situation,” says a Canada Post news release.
“Processing and delivery may take some time to fully return to normal,” adds the Canada Post news release.
The Slave Lake post office will remain open during the strike, says the Slave Lake post master. Parcels and mail they have already received from last week is being delivered. But after that and while the strike is happening, mail delivery will cease. There is no knowing how long the strike will last.
“We’re going day by day,” says the post master.