Calgary area businesses, non-profits feel the pinch as Canada Post strike enters second week

As the strike by Canada's postal workers heads into its second week, some Calgary businesses and non-profits are beginning to feel the effects and are worried about what a prolonged mail stoppage will do to their bottom lines.

Alexandra Fatokun owns Handcraft'd Luv, a yarn and fabric shop in Airdrie. She says the strike has been a double-whammy for her since almost all of her orders are shipped by mail, and over 80 per cent of herbusiness happens in the weeks before Christmas.

"Virtually my whole business is dependent on this," Fatokun told CBC News.

She says she's trying not to fret about things outside her controlbut admits to getting up in the middle of the night to check if someone has intervened in the strike.

"It seems like nobody really cares. That's what it feels like to me," she said.

Lauren Kamps is the owner of Flint & Feather Jewelry in Calgary.

Like Fatokun, she ships almost all of her products through the mail and estimates the Christmas season represents about 50 per cent of her yearly business.

She says much of her time lately has been spent going through various refund options with customers who have already placed orders for Christmas. On top of that, new orders have started tapering off.

"People are not ordering as much because they know the strike is going on and they know that people are not shipping packages right now," said Kamps.

"It's a big mess."

Why are Canada Post workers on strike?

3 days ago

Duration 1:35

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is on strike. Heres what theyre asking for, in their own words.

According to an open letter to the federal labour minister from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, a survey showed that 72 per cent of members were being negatively affected by the strike due to cash flow issues from delays in receiving or sending cheques and invoices.

"The holiday season is crucial for these small businesses. Rural and remote areas are also particularly affected by the strike," CFIB executive vice-president Corinne Pohlmann wrote to Steven MacKinnon.

"In these regions, Canada Post is very often the only available option for firms to deliver packages to their clients."

Canada Post stopped delivering mail across the country on Nov. 15, when tens of thousands of postal workers went on strike over wages, working conditions and other issues.

The shutdown affects millions of Canadians and businesses nationwide, just as the busy holiday season is getting underway.

• Small businesses brace for holiday losses with Canada Post strike
• What you need to know about your mail during the Canada Post strike

Business owners aren't the only ones affected by the work stoppage.

Brittany Beatty is the director of community engagement at Discovery House, which provides long-term housing, mental health supportand other programs and services in Calgary for children and women recovering from domestic violence. She says about 25 per cent of fundraising contributions come in during the month of December.

The Canada Post strike happened just as this year's mail-outs were ready to be sent to about 1,500 donors.

"The Christmas giving season is the biggest giving season, not just in terms of presents and gifts for your loved ones, but also charitable giving," said Beatty.

Discovery House uses other methods to reach out to donors, including email campaigns, social media posts and an online giving page. But Beatty says many donors aren't online, and so the primary way to reach them is by mail.

"It is a major source of income for us."

How Edmonton non-profits are impacted by the Canada Post strike

2 days ago

Duration 1:58

Many Edmonton non-profits rely on Canada Post to receive most of their donations. The strike is forcing some to pivot at a busy time. CBC's Travis McEwan checks on how those organizations are managing.

Jodene Baker is the vice-president of research, advocacy and external relations at Imagine Canada, a national organization that supports the non-profit and charitable sector. She says her group has been hearing from non-profits across the country about the negative impact the strike will have on fundraising efforts.

"Most donations do come in during these last four to six weeks of the year," Baker told CBC News.

Because there are still many Canadians who prefer to make their donations by cheque, she says that, for many charities, direct mail still remains one of their primary funding methods.

"The worst-case scenario is that it will actually affect the bottom line, so that there will not be as much donation."

Negotiators meet

In a statement released Tuesday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers said its negotiators met with a new federally appointed mediator who held separate discussions with the union and Canada Post.

Canada Post spokesperson Lisa Liu said in a statement on Monday that "we remain committed to reaching new agreements at the bargaining table, and not through arbitration."

Fatokun says she is supportive of the striking postal workers, but if the strike continues much longer, she'd like to see the federal government step in and either impose binding arbitration or table back-to-work legislation.

"If they've done it before for other industries, I don't see why they're holding back. They've done it for the pilots, they've done it for the rail workers. Why are they keeping quiet now? Is it because it's not affecting the very big companies?" Fatokun said.

"When two elephants are fighting, it's the grass that suffers. We are the grass."