Send this page to someone via email

Postal workers in the Lower Mainland are off the job today, as rotating strikes enter week six.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) went on strike as of 12:01 a.m. Monday.

Pickets are up in Richmond, Vancouver, Burnaby and North Vancouver, as the union pushes for better pay, job security, better hours and rules that CUPW says would reduce workplace injuries.

Strike action in the Lower Mainland comes as senators in Ottawa are to resume a special sitting Monday to examine a back-to-work bill that would force an end to the rotating strikes at Canada Post.

Bill C-89 was debated in the upper chamber on Saturday after the Liberal government fast-tracked the legislation through the House of Commons.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: Canada Post union threatening members if they accept overtime during strikes

But despite an initial plan to continue debate — and possibly hold a vote — on Sunday, senators chose instead to give themselves an extra day to digest hours of witness testimony on the labour dispute.

A Senate official said final debate on the legislation is expected to begin by 11 a.m. Pacific time, likely followed by an early evening vote.

There is concern that these strikes could mean the backlog of parcels ordered for the holidays will take until the New Year to clear up, but the union disagrees, saying it would not take that long.

Coverage of the Canada Post strike on Globalnews.ca:

— With files from The Canadian Press

Story continues below advertisement