The honking of passing cars and the food being dropped off by strangers is boosting the morale of local postal workers as a strike is set to enter its third week.
A work stoppage began Nov. 15 when more than 55,000 workers across the country walked off the job. Four other locations in the CUPW Local 576 coverage area are also seeing strike action including Canada Post offices in Bonfield, Callander, Powassan, and Sturgeon Falls.
Cara-Lee Lyttle is the president of Local 576 in North Bay, and she tells BayToday that spirits among members are high,
"They're doing really, really, well. We have different people bringing in food and feeding us. We've got our fire going here so that everybody can warm up around it."
Gone is the old-school fire barrel familiar to old-timers. There's a city bylaw that prohibits that so strikers huddle around a small propane fire pit.
The strike has centred on issues like wages and contract work, as well as job security, benefits and working conditions.
But there are local issues as well.
Lyttle says they are fighting for more work for temporary and casual workers.
"We want to be able to keep them for a longer period of time and get them into the business. I've been doing this for 17 years and I absolutely love the job. I love seeing the younger ones coming through that are enjoying the job and loving it too. I wanna see them be able to get benefits and pensions, and everything that I am reaping the rewards of from previous generations of fighting for our rights on this job. I want them to have the same rights as we do."
See: Local postal workers fighting for rights of new employees
Lyttle is encouraged by the public's support.
"We have people coming by honking, dropping off coffee and donuts, and just boosting the morale around here."
Honking during this interview drew smiles and waves from the picketers.
Local postal workers will be joined by other labour unions in the area tomorrow morning at 10 as they jointly march over to MP Anthony Rota's office.
Canada Post says it has offered wage increases totalling 11.5 per cent over four years and additional paid leave while protecting the defined benefit pension and job security provisions.
But the union has called for a cumulative wage hike of 24 per cent over four years. It also wants full-time employees to deliver package shipments on weekends, while Canada Post says it has offered to hire more part-time staff.
