Mail carriers for Canada Post are entering day 11 of striking, as one of the busiest shopping weeks begins.
With Christmas a month away, the week leading up Black Friday is one of the busiest of the year for mail carriers and delivery services.
Canada Post released a statement Monday morning, saying it is "down nearly 10 million parcels since the strike began," and that the backlog is only growing.
"The impacts continue to be felt across the country, hitting small businesses, charities and remote communities the most," Canada Post media relations representative Lisa Liu wrote.
Canada Post says it was at the table with its mail carriers' union, CUPW, over the weekend, but little was resolved.
CUPW employees went on strike on Nov. 15, when over 55,000 employees walked off the job. Canada Post says some of the issues are a proposed seven-day-a-week delivery service the company would like to start, disagreements over hiring support cleaning staff full time, and potential changes to pay and benefits for new employees.
On Monday, CUPW released a statement that Canada Post has begun laying off striking employees over the phone.
The statement urges any union members who get such a call to document the details and file a grievance with the union.
"It is clear that Canada Post cannot lay off current employees and bring someone different back to do the work after a strike/lockout. If you are made aware of such actions by CPC, please advise the union as soon as possible," states the CUPW notice.
Liu said the strike means Canada Post has had to "adjust its operations" because it is "essentially shut down until further notice."
"We’ve informed employees that their expired collective agreements are no longer in effect and their terms and conditions of employment have now changed, as allowed under the Canada Labour Code," Liu wrote in an email.
