An unsanctioned picket line was set up outside a Canada Post distribution centre entrance in Saanich on Friday morning, backing up traffic for a couple of hours.
The picket line by members of unrelated unions and others at the Glanford Avenue distribution centre was intended to be a show of solidarity with postal-service workers who were ordered back to work by the federal government after a month-long strike.
Similar demonstrations have been held across the country, after more than 55,000 employees were ordered back to work by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which determined a deal could not be reached before the end of the year.
“All workers in Canada have a vested interest in their Charter rights being violated and losing their right to free and fairly bargain and our right to strike,” said Kate Holowatiuk, president of the 91原创 Union of Postal Workers Local 850 Victoria, adding it’s the second-longest strike in the union’s history, at 34 days.
Workers weren’t prevented from entering the distribution centre but many Canada Post employees in their neon yellow jackets were lingering in the parking lot on Friday morning, unsure or unwilling to cross the line.
Traffic was backed up all along Glanford Avenue and Vanalman Avenue.
Holowatiuk said she didn’t want to see any postal members disciplined for not coming into work, so after she arrived on the scene she thanked the demonstrators but asked them to disband.
Holowatiuk said the demonstration, which started about 8:15 a.m., “was a surprise to me for sure,” adding that it’s good “that we do have community workers that care, and that other workers have an interest in what happens with us, because it could affect them as well.”
The federal government has appointed an industrial inquiry commission to come up with recommendations by May 15 on how a new agreement can be reached, while the existing contracts have been extended to May 22.
Postal workers went back to work on Tuesday. Canada Post said mail is being processed on a first-in, first-out basis, and it will start accepting new international mail on Dec. 23.
— with a file from The 91原创 Press
