‘Attacking Canada Post and the postal workers who serve our country, that is not the way to make Canada stronger – that weakens every single one of us, and if they had any backbone in the government, they would have decided that this is a resource to develop,’ said Ontario NDP leader
Ontario NDP leader Marit Stiles gave encouragement to striking Canada Post workers on Tuesday – and took aim at the federal government while she was at it.
As part of her trip to Sault Ste. Marie, Stiles joined the CUPW Local 600 picket line near the Queen Street Canada Post office this afternoon.
“I know a lot of people, in the last federal election, they held their nose and they voted to keep Canada together, to stand strong against Donald Trump,” she told the crowd of striking workers.
“Attacking Canada Post and the postal workers who serve our country, that is not the way to make Canada stronger – that weakens every single one of us, and if they had any backbone in the government, they would have decided that this is a resource to develop.”
Canada Post’s 55,000 workers went on strike Sep. 25 – including 135 local workers spanning from Wawa to Iron Bridge – following Canada Post’s announcement that it plans to end door-to-door mail delivery to most households in the next decade.
At the time, Procurement Minister Joel Lightbound said the move is among sweeping changes meant to help shore up the Crown corporation’s finances amid declining letter mail and its small share of the parcel market.
Aside from the federal government, Stiles also accused the crown corporation’s management of taking a lead role in creating its current issues.
“We know that they have made conscious decisions that undermine this important Canadian resource, this Crown Corporation. They made those calls,” she said.
“They had a choice, and they need to be called out for it, right? They’re supposed to be working for the people of Canada, and they are undermining this important resource we have.”
Canada Post’s financial outlook has been bleak over the past several years, but local union president Ken Sheaves previously told SooToday the crown corporation has diverted a lot of its business to Purolator – which it owns a 91 per cent stake of.
“They’re busting at the seams. They can’t keep up – but that’s our company,” Sheaves said at the outset of the strike. “Why aren’t we campaigning to promote Canada Post with the same energy that they’re using to promote Purolator?”
On Tuesday, Stiles similarly accused Canada Post of “chipping away” at its own resources.
“We see what Canada Post is doing: we know that they have been chipping away, that they are lying to the people of Canada about their profitability and the options they have,” she said.
“Every single person that loses a job, that’s a family that loses their income – every single one of you. It’s a service that we are going to lose as community members, but it’s also actual jobs and livelihoods.”
As negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post approach their third week, Stiles called on the people of Sault Ste. Marie to lend their support.
“That’s part of the reason why I’m here today, is to send a message out to the people of Sault Ste Marie to come out here and show solidarity with you as workers, and to call up their member of parliament, to call up Canada Post management and say get back to the bargaining table with a decent offer,” she said.
“Let’s get this settled, and let’s get these people back to work.”