THUNDER BAY — People who receive social assistance checks in the mail can breathe a sigh of a relief. Postal workers are delivering cheques on Wednesday, despite the ongoing strike.
Leo Favreau, CUPW Local 620 president, said their issues are with Canada Post and not with members of the public.
“We can't deliver everything because that would kind of defeat the purpose, but being able to give them what they rely on is important,” Favreau told Dougall Media.
He said that CUPW Local 620 allow 40 postal employees to sort and deliver government cheques throughout the city and the surrounding area.
According to a press release from The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), an agreement was struck before the strike to ensure a social safety net is in place to deliver government cheques.
Over 200 postal workers are on strike in Thunder Bay. Across the country, postal unions are advocating for fair wages, improved working conditions, the right to retire, and expansion of services at the public post office.
“We are looking for a living wage. We have a lot of health and safety concerns. We would like them to leave our pension alone that we've worked all along for. We don't need any rollbacks,” Favreau said.
He also noted that further negotiation will commence at the national level between CUPW and Canada Post, but if the strike carries on into December, CUPW will “probably try to work something out to help people.”