Canada Post Corp. has laid off some of its striking postal workers as labour talks with the union stall.

In an emailed statement to the Financial Post, the Crown corporation confirmed that the layoffs are temporary and were taken to adjust its operations during the work stoppage.

“Unfortunately, due to CUPW’s ongoing national labour disruption and the significant impact on the company, we have made adjustments to our operations, as allowed under the Canada Labour Code,” said Canada Post spokesperson Phil Rogers.

CUPW, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, represents the roughly 55,000 employees who are on strike.

Canada Post’s business has been significantly impacted leading up to and throughout the strike, it said. It previously said the labour disruption has so far affected nearly 10 million parcels since the job action began on Nov. 15. That number is expected to rise with Black Friday sales and the busy holiday season now underway.

Postal workers hit the picket lines after years-long negotiations failed between Canada Post and CUPW.

Canada Post said previously expired collective agreements no longer apply and that terms and conditions of employment have therefore changed.

“Unfortunately the strike drags on and the uncertainty for our employees and Canadians continues,” it said.

CUPW members held a rally on Thursday at Canada Post’s head office in Ottawa.

Labour and employment lawyer Deborah Hudson says the layoffs by Canada Post are an unprecedented move, and will likely be met with legal pushback from the union.

In a notice to members posted Monday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers called the layoffs a “scare tactic” and said it’s looking into the situation.

There’s no end in sight for the mstrike as the federal labour minister said Wednesday that a mediator appointed by Ottawa was getting nowhere, with the sides too far apart on critical issues. The mediation talks were temporarily suspended — and the government doesn’t plan to intervene.

Steven MacKinnon said he had summoned both sides to his office in Ottawa. However, he said a directive for binding arbitration is “not in the cards.”

In a statement Thursday, spokesman Rogers said Canada Post is “considering its options to move negotiations forward with greater urgency and remains committed to negotiating new collective agreements.”

Meanwhile, union president Jan Simpson said in a statement Wednesday that CUPW is fighting to protect good full-time jobs.

— With files from The Canadian Press

• Email: dpaglinawan@postmedia.com

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