Original:

The labour dispute involving Canada Post and its union has now made its way to northern Ontario.

Postal workers in Sudbury are on strike Friday as part of rotating strikes across the country.

That means there will be no mail delivery in Sudbury on Friday.

Workers walked off the job just after midnight.

Members of Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 612 say they haven't had a contract since early this year and they have concerns about forced overtime, work-related injuries and want their wages kept up with inflation.

“The hope is we get Canada Post to bargain, to come to the table and bargain seriously with us, and take our demands into account. And it's mostly based on, like I said earlier, health and safety issues." said Alan McMahon of CUPW.

This distribution facility on Dell Street appeared almost empty Friday morning.

McMahon says he understands the rotating strikes will affect some businesses, but he hopes people understand they are less disruptive than a full strike.

He says mail delivery will be affected in the city and surrounding areas.

"Sudbury, Hanmer, Val Caron, the French River corridor and Manitoulin Island, which are part of our local." said McMahon.

Postal workers will be out on Lasalle Boulevard all day long on Friday. They are marching along the sidewalks towards BarrydowneRoad to get their message out.

Update:

In a statement Canada Post says:

"We value the relationship with the union and have been able to find common ground on some issues, and have also committed to work together constructively on several important files."

A special mediator has been appointed by the government to help reach a settlement.

Other strikes are being held in New Brunswick, Niagara Falls and in Vancouver.

The Sudbury Chamber of Commerce says businesses depend on the mail, and a prolonged strike would cause problems.

"If it's only a twenty four hour disruption, not too bad, we can certainly manage that, but if it becomes a longer disruption then it creates more problems." said Debbi Nicholson, President of Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce.

Workers say the Sudbury strike is only expected to last one day, but say it could be extended another day if the national union leaders instruct them to do so.