Sarnia's Local 598 president says area postal workers "don't want to strike," but if Canada Post doesn't want to bargain with them, they "have no choice."
Workers across the country, represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, set up picket lines after midnight on Friday after learning Canada Post planned to lock them out at 8 a.m.
Darren Malcolm spoke with Sarnia News Today outside of the federal building on Christina Street.
"We were here at one o'clock making sure that none of the trucks bringing mail from London, which is our main supplier, were getting in," Malcolm said. "We didn't have any trucks come in, because London was successful in stopping any trucks from leaving the London plant today. So, that was a really good win."
When postal workers took job action in 2018, an arbitrator was brought in to settle the dispute.
Malcolm said a lot has happened in those past six years and their biggest concern is they'll be legislated back to work by the government.
"We signed a two year extension on that existing contract, hoping that the corporation would bargain in good faith, and they kind of reneged on that a little bit. So, this is the position we're in right now and we're ready to fight and we're hoping to dig our heels in and hopefully get a fair, negotiated contract at the bargaining table," he said. "We don't want to strike, but if they're not willing to bargain with us then we have no choice but to strike."
Malcolm said Local 598 represents about 155 members, who service the Sarnia depot and offices in the County of Lambton.
In a social media post on Thursday night, Canada's Minister of Labour said Canadians need both parties to reach an agreement.
"Our top federal mediators have been working with the parties tirelessly, and we are now sending additional resources to the bargaining table," Steven MacKinnon wrote on X.
"I have now formally appointed the director general of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services as a special mediator to support the parties. We are making sure that these two groups have everything they need to reach a deal."
