Canada Post strike tests public support heading into holidays: experts – National [Video]

Public support is key to the success of a strike, experts say, but as the Canada Post strike drags on, that support is likely getting harder to maintain.

“As strikes wear on, they become more difficult to sustain, and if the public is not rallying behind you, it can be demoralizing for the union,” said Brock University labour professor Larry Savage.

More than 55,000 postal workers are off the job in a strike that has lasted over four weeks.

Federal mediation was paused more than two weeks ago as the two sides were too far apart, and though proposals have been exchanged recently, it’s not clear that they’re any closer to reaching a deal, with Canada Post and the union criticizing each others’ demands and comments in public statements.

Meanwhile, calls from the business community for government intervention have been rebuffed. Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has consistently said the two parties have …