Unions rally outside Charlottetown MP's office in support of postal workers
'If they attack one union they're going to be attacking everybody,' says P.E.I. Federation of Labour president
About 25 people in support of Canada Post workers rallied outside Charlottetown MP Sean Casey's office on Saturday.
It was one of many demonstrations held in cities throughout the country to protest the federal government's back-to-work legislation imposed last week.
Postal workers had been holding strikes for five weeks, demanding better wages and working conditions. Negotiations have been continuing for more than a year.
A handful of union representatives were at the rally in Charlottetown on Saturday, including the P.E.I. Nurses Union, CUPE, PSAC along with other workers.
Carl Pursey, president of the P.E.I. Federation of Labour, said it's important for unions to stand in solidarity.
"If they attack one union they're going to be attacking everybody," he said. "If one union gains the benefits and makes safer workplaces, other workplaces will become safer as well."
Many in the crowd accused Canada Post of unfair bargaining and criticized the government for ordering strikers back to work.
Casey told the crowd that implementing back-to-work legislation was a difficult decision for the government, but said the strikes were harmful to the economy, especially at this time of year. He said they were having a disproportionate effect on communities that have no other delivery options.
"We felt that in this situation it was something that is in the interests of those vulnerable populations, in the interests of our economy, in the interest of small business, many of whom have 40 per cent of their business in the fourth quarter."