The World : Postal Strike Hits Canada

Canada’s Letter Carriers Union began scattered strikes in a dispute over job concessions demanded by state-owned Canada Post, which is under government orders to get out of debt. Mail carriers walked off the job in parts of Quebec, Alberta and Nova Scotia provinces in the first national strike action by postal workers in six years. The 20,000-member union said that sporadic walkouts in unannounced locations would escalate to a full national strike if necessary to block the demands made by Canada Post. The demands include a pay freeze and a 25% cut in wage rates for new employees. Canada Post brought in non-union recruits to keep the mail moving.