Lethbridge charity not collecting mail-in donations amid Canada Post overtime ban

The strike deadline by postal workers has come and gone. The mail is still being delivered, but it may take a bit longer to get to customers.

A Lethbridge charity is changing the way it collects donations as the union representing about 55,000 Canada Post employees calls for a countrywide halt to overtime work.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said late Thursday that members were being told to refuse any work beyond eight hours in a day and 40 hours in a week.

Canada Post issued its own statement in response to the overtime ban, saying there are no rotating strikes or national work stoppages as of now, and postal operations will continue.

However, the Crown corporation did warn of possible delays.

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In Lethbridge, the Interfaith Food Bank Society is taking proactive measures to deal with the uncertainty.

“At this time of year, we typically see our donations drying up because we are quite a ways out of that season of giving from Thanksgiving to Christmas,” said executive director Danielle McIntyre.

“Instead of doing a bake sale and asking people to make cookies or a cake, we are asking them to give us the money that they would’ve spent on that.”

The non-profit is asking for donations to its ‘Bakeless Bake Sale’ fundraiser be made in person or online, not through the mail.

“Normally, with our newsletter, there’s a small envelope in there that asks people to put their money into the mail and send it off to us,” McIntyre said.

“However, this year … we’re encouraging people to give online or stop in,” she said.

On Wednesday, Canada Post offered a 13.5 per cent wage increase over four years, along with the creation of new, part-time carrier job categories to help the Crown corporation extend parcel delivery to weekends.

That same day, Canada Post rejected the union’s call for a two-week truce that would have given workers time to review the latest offers in detail, leading the union to proceed with the overtime ban.

“Businessowners are feeling anxious and frustrated,” said Sarah Aimes, executive director of the Downtown Lethbridge BRZ.

“Many small businesses rely on Canada Post to ship and receive their goods. Any potential strike or delay in Canada Post will force them to look for alternative methods of delivery, and those can expense and perhaps less efficient.”

In November, Canada Post workers were on the picket lines for 32 days before the federal government ordered employees back to work and extended the collective agreement deadline to May.

“I also think from the last postal strike, people have become more comfortable with online, which I think was a barrier that we just needed to break,” McIntyre said.

“We are trying to reach people through as many different means as possible, whether it be radio, television, newspaper, emails and social media, it’s just about adapting to the new reality.”