Solidarity picket paralyzes Canada Post depot in B.C.

A community picket line has shut down Canada Post’s third-largest processing plant today, near Vancouver Airport. Postal workers blocked access until the mandated 8 a.m. Tuesday back-to-work order. After that, unions and community groups took over the picket lines at two main entrances, keeping the plant closed.

Vancouver and Labour District President Stephen von Sychowski explained why a community picket line was established: 

“This government is sending a signal to employers that they can sit back and wait for Justin Trudeau and the liberals to ride in on a white horse and save them from their obligation to collectively bargain. It’s completely unacceptable. And as you can see, there are folks here from the labour movement, from different public and private-sector unions, members from community organizations are here as well. They put up this community picket line in support of the right to strike.”

“We’re asking folks not to cross,” he adds. “We’re here in solidarity with all of you postal workers. This is a fight for fairness for yourselves, as employees of Canada Post. This is also a fight for all workers in Canada, this is a fight for our basic rights.”

Members of ILWU were well represented in the community picket. Local 502, who transport fuel from deepsea vessels to YVR, is also on strike and facing down scabs at their picket line some 600 meters away. Asked by North Star what brought him out into the cold and rain, ILWU National President Rob Ashton did not mince words:

“Workers of this country have to decide when enough is enough. The government of Canada has been issuing these Section 107s, destroying workers right and capability to negotiate freely and fairly with their employers, and giving employers the upper hand. So I decided it was my duty as a worker and as a citizen of this country to come here and give the feds a big fat ‘fuck you’.”

While Canada Post workers could not by law take part in the picket, many of them cheered as the community picket turned away supervisors and blocked traffic from entering or leaving the facility.

“We’re disappointed and very angry about [the back-to-work order],” said Anju Parmar, the President of CUPW Vancouver Local 846. “We wanted a negotiated collective agreement, but the employer wouldn’t do it, and the government has now forced us back to work.” 

Zachary Williams, a public school teacher and who joined the picket with a contingent from the East Van Workers Assembly, emphasized:

“They did not vote to end their strike, they didn’t vote to accept a collective agreement. Their right to strike is being squashed by the bosses at Canada Post, and the government, who has gotten trigger-happy with Section 107 of the Labour Code, is taking away our right to strike. So [Canada Post workers] are fighting not only for themselves, but for the right of all Canadian workers to use the most important tool that the working class has to defend and expand our interests, so we have to be with them.”

The community picket line prevented supervisors and traffic from entering the facility, delaying its reopening by 5 hours, to 1p.m.