Effects of the strike - mail disruption

A member describes on of the effects the strike has had on the lives of people living in Artspace.

To start with, we don’t get mail. Canada Post will not cross a picket line. So where we have to go to get mail is not very convenient – especially for those who don’t drive. And even that, I have heard members say that mail and parcels are getting sent back before they have a chance to get there. For those who work regular hours, there is not a time that they can go to pick it up without missing time at work. And then to confuse that matter, sometimes if they don’t see any strikers they will deliver the mail – but it is so sporadic.

We have to make special arrangements to mail a letter (outgoing mail) as the won’t pick up mail from the box out front. 

And the issues of the Canada Post box at the front door. 

One person or more had still been using the mail box to mail correspondence. When they realized that mail was not getting picked up, it took forever to get someone from Canada Post to come out and retrieve the mail.

At the same time, our maintenance staff put duct tape over the mail slot to prevent anyone else from the same mistake.

One of the most irritating for the professional strikers called Canada Post and reported that our maintenance staff had destroyed a mailbox. He used the bull horn to announce how destroying a post box was a criminal act and Canada Post was on the way to charge our guy. The supervisor from Canada Post arrived, Our maintenance manager went out and explained how mail had been inadvertently put in the mailbox and how long it took him to contact Canada Post via Winnipeg to have someone come and empty the box.  Our guy then explained how he put the tape on the mailbox to prevent a re-occurrence.  The supervisor thanked W___ for his smart thinking!!!!

Update: At the end of June, mail started to be delivered again.