A strike by Canada Post support staff appears to be causing minor delays in mail processing Monday as the corporation assured customers there will be no significant disruption in delivery.

About 2,100 members of the Union of Postal Communications Employees (UPCE) launched a strike early Monday, three days after serving formal notice to the Crown corporation. The union, which represents workers who handle clerical, financial, engineering and administrative work, is part of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

Picket lines were up in cities across the country, including Halifax, St. John's, Fredericton, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Yellowknife, and at Canada Post headquarters in Ottawa.

The union said 88 per cent of its members voted in favour of the strike, largely because of opposition to proposals on short-term disability and sick leave.

Canada Post attempted to assure customers that mail delivery will continue as normal.

In a statement released late Sunday, the corporation said the striking workers "are predominantly administrative and technical workers and do not handle the mail. Employees responsible for the collection and delivery of the mail are members of a separate union and have a valid contract.

"Canada Post will use every means necessary to ensure that mail delivery is unaffected," the statement said.

Truck delayed by 6 hours

About eight picketers were stopping buses and other vehicles in Ottawa and forcing them to wait several minutes before entering, backing traffic around the corner by 8 a.m. Maria Fitzpatrick, PSAC's regional executive vice-president in the National Capital Region, said the picket lines had been put up at 4 a.m. and would remain until 8 p.m.

Police were called to a mail sorting facility in London, Ont., after traffic leaving the facility was delayed by the pickets.

In Sydney, N.S., picketers stopped a mail transport truck from crossing a picket line. It returned six hours later and passed by the picket line with the help of police. Those on the picket line saw it as a small victory.

"Our victory was to slow down the mail," said Lenus Sampson. "Because we only let it in now, they won't get that mail out until tomorrow. "

Wally Moore, president of the Fundy local Canadian Union of Postal Workers, said some letter carriers are being slowed down in Saint John, N.B.

"There's been some agreement nationally that they won't impede us going to work. But as we can see this morning, I guess you know, they've held us up for a little bit," he said.

Fitzpatrick, who was on the picket line at Canada Post headquarters on Heron Road in Ottawa, predicted more delays.

"It's going to affect the public in terms of their Christmas mail," said Fitzpatrick.

Dispute over sick leave

She said workers are upset about provisions that would take away accumulated sick leave and require an insurance company "rather than your doctor" to decide whether an employee should qualify for short-term disability.

In addition, she said, the contract would only provide job security to employees who had worked for a minimum of five years.

At a small picket line at a St. John's Canada Post processing centre, PSAC representative Mike Stokes said the Crown corporation is trying to shave costs by taking advantage of the national employment insurance program.

"Canada Post wants our employees to liquidate all their sick leave — a benefit that they've had for at least 50 years — and they want to replace it with ... applying for the sick portion of EI," Stokes told CBC News Monday.

In a statement, PSAC president John Gordon pointed to an unhealthy bargaining climate as leading to the strike.

"Management at Canada Post Corporation has to learn that they cannot unilaterally impose working conditions to its workers without negotiating with the union first," Gordon said.

In its statement, Canada Post said its "final offer" included a short-term disability program that includes income protection for all employees, plus a 2.5 per cent wage increase in the first two years of a four-year contract and a further 2.75 per cent in the final two years.