By Nigel Maxwell

Lock out goes across country

Jun 15, 2011 | 10:11 AM

Don't expect any mail today.

Canada Post has locked out its employees in urban areas after almost two weeks of rotating walkouts.

This has increased the two-days of lockouts in Prince Albert to all week.
According to Canada Post it's an effort to get the contract talks moving faster.

The Crown Corporation has been saying that 12 days of rotating strikes have cost it an estimated $100 million.

“I'm not sure how it's (going to) play out, whether or not the labour minister will legislate us back to work or legislate the fact that Canada Post should be letting us go back to work. We are a bit shocked but at same time we've been waiting for something to happen,” said local union vice-president Mark McCaul.

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“Until the government gets involved or Canada Post decides to open talks with CUPW again, mail has ceased.”

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers remain far apart on several key issues, including sick leave and pension.

Up until now the rotating postal strikes have had little-to-no impact in Prince Albert.

That has now changed with mail virtually at a standstill.

“Now that circumstances are changing we are reviewing our plans,” said Joe Day, city finance director.

“People who are receiving cheques, or expecting cheques from the city, we are encouraging them to contact us after the end of this week. We will be holding cheques in anticipation that people can come down and pick them up” said Day.

Letters and notices, such as water bills or parking tickets summons, that are normally mailed out, are being held for a few extra days. Day said if need be they will find alternative methods to get the mail out.
June 30 is the property tax payment deadline.

“We are hoping that there will be some solution to the postal disruption before that date. People are certainly encouraged to bring it in personally or drop it off in the secure mail slot on the west side of city hall,” Day said.

Day said at this time the city is not extending the June 30 property tax payment deadline.

Neither the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region nor the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division are effected by the lockout. They both have their own internal mail carriers.

nmaxwell@panow.com