On the eve of the holidays, many companies do business with the Crown Corporation to ship their packages. Their plans are undermined since due to the strike the packages are neither processed nor delivered.
Valérie Aresenault, owner of the La Fabrik boutique in Chicoutimi, can attest to this.
“Being in business is like taking a nice stroll down the street and there is always someone behind to give you a leg, but you never know when.”
For her, like many other entrepreneurs, this is a pivotal time of the year.
She also indicates that it is very complicated to change an agreement with Canada Post for a private delivery service on such a tight deadline when its suppliers also work with the government company.
“We must understand that we cannot change overnight because we have negotiated prices with our suppliers, which means that it would generate enormous costs for several companies.”
“Christmas parties are there. If my stock doesn’t arrive on time, the entire financial burden falls on our shoulders.”
Valérie Aresenault, owner of the La Fabrik boutique in Chicoutimi
She points out that customers who live outside the region might not take the chance to order from her store for fear of delays in delivery.
Moreover, the Crown Corporation says it supports the appointment of a special mediator by the Minister of Labor.
Canada Post says it wants to reach new agreements at the negotiating table rather than enter into an arbitration process.
Some 55,000 Canada Post workers went on strike Friday after failing to reach a negotiated agreement with their employer.
See Étienne Ouellette’s full report at the top of the page.
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