Striking Canada Post workers rally at head office in Ottawa

Striking postal workers deliver a message Striking Canada Post workers took their message to the Crown corporation's head office in Ottawa. CTV's Tyler Fleming with the latest.

Over a hundred of Canada Post workers held a rally outside of the Crown corporation's head office in Ottawa on Thursday, as the strike job action by 55,000 postal workers nears the end of its second week.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) organized the rally from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the area of Riverside Drive and Heron Road.

CUPW's rally comes after negotiations stalled Wednesday. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the special federal mediator has temporarily suspended mediation because Canada Post and CUPW remain too far apart on critical issues. MacKinnon later said the federal government does not plan to force a result through binding arbitration.

"We're ready to go back to the table. We have been at the table.” said Peter Denley, national director of the centre region office of the union of postal workers. “We've been trying to set realistic solutions to their problems that grow their business, but also provide safe and good working conditions for our workers. And it's time for Canada Post to start listening to the people that do the work.”

Denley says Canada Post opted to withdraw from the table instead of providing a response to the offers the union had presented. However, Denley remains optimistic about finding solutions.

"We're trying to create good jobs. Minister McKinnon said yesterday that the Canada Post doesn't have to be profitable, has to be sustainable, and it has to provide good jobs for Canadians and provide good service to every person in this country, unlike any other delivery service," Denley added.

The union says Canada Post has been laying off striking employees, calling the layoffs a “scare tactic.” A Canada Post spokeswoman told the Canadian Press the layoffs are temporary.

On Nov. 15, workers went on strike after negotiations failed to reach a new collective agreement between CUPW and Canada Post, disrupting mail delivery in the lead up to the busy holiday season.

The union says it wants salaries brought in line with inflation, an increase in paid medical days, better benefits, and to prevent the company from using private contractors. Canada Post, meanwhile, said in a statement to CTV News Wednesday that it must make changes to its "outdated, mail-based delivery model" and evaluated its losses at more than $3 billion since 2018.

On Thursday, Canada Post said in a statement to Newstalk 580 CFRA it understands the impact the strike is having on Canadians, pointing out its commitment to negotiate new agreements that benefit its members, without adding additional fixed costs that could hamper the company’s future.

"Canada Post is considering its options to move negotiations forward with greater urgency and remains committed to negotiating new collective agreements," reads the statement.

"With mounting financial losses in the billions, Canada Post requires greater flexibility to its outdated, mail-based delivery model. This is about the future of the postal service and growing revenues by better serving Canadians."

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Tyler Fleming, Ted Raymond and The Canadian Press