QUEBEC CITY, June 10 (UPI) -- Canadian postal workers say they began a rotating strike over pay issues beginning with a 24-hour walkout in Quebec City and Kitchener, Ontario.
Around 1,550 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers hit the streets around 11 p.m. Thursday, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.
"These locals were chosen because both have experienced major cutbacks as a result of [Canada Post] management's cost-cutting crusade," the union said in a statement Thursday night. "Quebec City has witnessed the closure of its mail processing plant and Kitchener has seen the transfer of its parcel operations to Toronto."
Canada Post said the union had rejected their compromise proposals addressing sick leave and staffing levels adding there's an ongoing gulf between them, the CBC said.
"The strike actions being orchestrated by the union are seriously damaging the financial viability of the company. The rotating strikes have damaged Canada Post and clouded the company's future. Volumes at Canada Post have fallen significantly since the union started rotating strikes on June 3."
Canada Post said its latest offer includes, among other benefits, a top salary of $26 an hour and job security for current employees.
Rotating strikes began last Friday in Winnipeg and have taken place in Calgary, Hamilton, Victoria, Montreal, Moncton in New Brunswick and Edmonton.
