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Prince Albert region not affected by postal backlog: Union

Dec 10, 2018 | 1:00 PM

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) disagree with Canada Post management that there’s an abnormal amount of mail backlogs.

After just over a month of rotating strikes, Canada Post workers have been back on the job for a couple weeks after return to work legislation was enforced by the federal government.

Prairie Region Education and Organization Officer with CUPW, Todd Jarema, said most of the high activity is seasonal.

“During this seasonal holiday period where there is typically a larger volume of parcels being shipped, you know folks are buying gifts and what not for the holidays. There’s always going to be and always has been a bit of an increase in terms of those volumes,” he said.

Jarema said mail in Prince Albert shouldn’t see major delays.

“I have not really heard any feedback that suggests the backlog exists,” he said, adding he hears those shopping online or sending letters haven’t seen major delays. 

Canada Post spokesman, Jon Hamilton disputed this claim.

“We still have a backlog of about six million parcels across the country which is about three times the inventory that we would see this time of year,” Hamilton said.

Because of the backlog, Hamilton said it’s led to an elimination of the guaranteed service.

“We did that back in mid-November when we were facing backlogs. We continue to face backlogs, but we continue to deliver,” he said.

Hamilton said people sending Christmas cards should still be able to send and receive letters in time for Dec. 25.

 

Ron.Quaroni@jpbq.ca

Twitter: @RonaldQuaroni