STRATEGIC PARTNERS
March 6, 2002
CANADA -- A strike by armored car employees means that some Canadians are having to alter their ATM habits, according to the Calgary Sun.
More than 600 Securicor Cash Services armored car workers, formerly Loomis Armored Car Service, are on strike across three provinces. The strike is forcing some banks to draw up contingency plans and limit operations at their ATMs.
Royal Bank limited off-site ATM transactions to withdrawals and transfers. Deposits and bill payments were only permitted at bank branches or in-house ATMs. The CIBC was also asking people to conduct their banking at branches instead of off-site ATMs.
The strike involves workers from the Teamsters Union in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Securicor workers, who belong to the Teamsters union, want better wages and an improved pension plan. Some 93 per cent of employees voted Aug. 20 in favor of a strike.
Talks between management and the union ended on Aug. 25. No new talks were scheduled.
Management has taken over some routes for the drivers, who make between $8 and $16 per hour, but it was expected some ATMs could go out of service or run out of cash.
