Unionized workers at Canada Post returned to work Tuesday after more than a month of rotating strikes. The Trudeau government and Senate passed back-to-work legislation this week forcing an end to the walkouts.
The end of the postal strikes comes as a relief for at least one Kingston business owner who relies on mail and parcel deliveries.
Martine Boudreau is the owner-operator of Forca Entertainment on John Counter Boulevard, a food and supply store sending Canadian products overseas mainly to Portugal. She says she sees both sides of the dispute.
“I did work in places before where there were unions and you need your union to fight for you,” Boudreau said. “I understand that side of it too, so it’s hard because you can look at it both ways, I can see both sides.”
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Mary Whan is the president of Local 556 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. The local joined the rotating strikes for a day three weeks ago. She says the legislated end to the strikes hurts.
“After 37 days of rotating strikes, unconstitutional legislation has taken away our right to strike. We’re not an essential service and in the past few strikes and lockouts we have been through, we have been legislated back to work,” Whan said.
WATCH: Mail grinds to a halt from Belleville to Cornwall in latest rotating postal strike
The union says it’s exploring all options to fight the order.