Striking workers at the St. Albert Post Office returned to work this morning (Friday) after being ordered to end their wildcat walkout by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).

The Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMCs) began a wildcat strike on Tuesday to protest arbitrary cuts to their wages that were imposed by Canada Post.  Word spread quickly across the country and letters of support in solidarity streamed in from citizens and trade-union organizations.

Officials with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) will meet with Canada Post today to try to resolve any remaining issues that triggered the strike at the distribution centre in St. Albert.

Bev Ray, president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 730 in Edmonton, apologized for any inconvenience caused by this service disruption.  “We hope that customers understand how important it was for these workers to take this action to protect their livelihoods and the future of their families,” she said.

About 15 RSMCs walked off the job after being told, without advance notice, that the parcel rate that determines their pay for parcels they deliver was being cut. The carriers, who use their own vehicles and pay for their own insurance to deliver the mail, get paid by an averaged rate of mail delivered, so a cut in parcel rate means a cut in pay that could come to thousands of dollars per year even though they still have to deliver the same amount of parcels.

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For more information contact Bev Ray, President @ 780) 423-9000, ext. 223 or (780) 719-4555   [email protected]