Canada Post workers gathered outside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Papineau office on Saturday, upset about the recent back-to-work legislation for postal workers.

There were similar demonstrations across the country.

 

Tensions between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and Canada Post remain high since rotating strikes were launched on Oct. 22.

On Monday, royal assent was granted to Bill C-89 after senators approved legislation to force the postal workers back to work.  

“Before I left, things were quite tense” said Rebecca Malaka, a Canada Post employee who is currently on leave because of a neck injury sustained on the job. “People were very nervous about the amount of work they were getting. Routes were getting longer, more parcels.”

Malaka said that delivering 150 to 200 parcels a day is normal, with the holiday season being especially busy.

“You do your route, you come back to the depot, you get more parcels,” she said.

There were others at the demonstration in Montreal.

Rosemary Walley is from England, and her father was a postal worker.

“I’m totally enraged the government has issued this decree that postal workers have to go back to work,” she said. “We have our constitutional rights and unless we defend them they’ll simply fritter away.”

While Canada Post employees are now back at work, significant delays remain for letters and parcels.

With files from The Canadian Press