The Assembly of First Nations says the ongoing postal strike is disrupting the delivery of essential items, including medications, to rural and remote communities.
National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak is urging Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to resolve the nearly four-week-long strike, which has left many First Nations people struggling to access basic goods and financial supports. Negotiations with a federal mediator were suspended almost two weeks ago.
The union is demanding wage increases, cost-of-living adjustments, and enhanced job protections, while Canada Post says the latest proposals have widened the gap between the parties.
Woodhouse Nepinak stressed the urgency of restoring services, particularly as winter approaches. “Families rely on Canada Post for essential goods to maintain their well-being. We call on Canada Post, CUPW, and the federal government to work together to reach an immediate resolution,” she said in a Press release yesterday.
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, representing 70,000 Inuit, also raised concerns, saying some people have had to fly south to obtain medicine. His organization has called on the federal government to step in.
The strike’s impact extends beyond Indigenous communities. Ontario health officials have advised residents to avoid mailing in colorectal cancer screening test kits and instead drop them off at lab collection centers.
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