Windsor-Essex residents react to Canada Post strike

There was no shortage of support for Canada Post workers while passing by strike lines in Windsor and Tecumseh.

“No one likes a postal strike,” said Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy. “I hope they settle. Get back to the table.”

Kevin Kalaydjian is hopeful as well.

“The government's got to give in a bit here. Everybody's got to be happy.”

Workers are on the line striking for higher wages, better health and safety standards and a better work-life balance.

“All they want to do is come to work and do their job and go home at half time with their families, and this is being taken away from them,” said Tish Glenn, president of CUPW Local 630 representing workers.

Many businesses rely on Canada Post and the holiday season is a busy time.

“We need to get our coupons out, especially in a busy season,” noted Kalaydjian. “There's expiry dates on it and also, we're old school. We accept cheques. We mail out cheques.”

Cheques in the mail are in limbo with the work stoppage.

Dan D’Angela isn’t worried.

“I'm pretty much all paperless. Everything's on portals now so all my bills are auto deposit or auto withdrawl.”

His neighbour David Peters relies on Canada Post.

“How are we going to pay our bills?” Peters wondered as he scoffed at the idea of using the internet. “I'm not going online. I have to use the library internet and it's not a hundred percent secure and that's a problem.”

Municipalities are warning residents even if the bills don’t come in the mail, they still have to be paid. “Whether it be your water bill, your energy bill. You can call the office, you can sign up for online billing, online payment,” Bondy said. “You still have to pay your bills.”

The union is hoping the strike is short and not interrupted by government forcing workers back through legislation.

“We're asking that we're able to be at the table and negotiate,” Glenn said. “Those are the best settled contracts.”