'His life is in danger': Striking Canada Post worker's family struggling to afford his cancer drugs

The family of a Canada Post employee with cancer says they're struggling to pay thousands of dollars a day for medication after his medical benefits were terminated by the Crown corporation during the current labour action.

More than 55,000 Canada Post workers have been on strike since Nov. 15, after a year of failed negotiations to reach a new collective agreement. Bargaining had continued until earlier this week when negotiations broke down between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW).

When employees walked off the job, Canada Post also terminated their benefits, affecting workers' ability to afford necessary medications. Marc Caron is one of them.

"I'm helpless. I'm very shocked," said Manon Gignac, Caron's wife.

Caron was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. In May, he found out it had returned. He's on medication that currently costs about $2,000 per day.

"It's very expensive for us," she said, adding she doesn't understand why her husband's employer is ignoring the people behind these decisions.

"We think that it's unacceptable to be in this situation," she said. "This is very difficult for us because we know that my husband, his life is in danger."

Canada Post warned of layoffs, loss of benefits

Three days before the strike, Canada Post sent a letter to employees warning of possible layoffs and changes to "leave provisions and benefits."

"For workers who who are in that dire strait with terminal illnesses, this is unconscionable," said Jan Simpson, the union's national president.

Simpson said the union approached Canada Post about reinstating benefits, but was told the Crown corporation wouldn't be changing its decision.

"Canada Post has the ability to ... make some arrangements to allow these workers to get the treatment which they need. And I hope they would do that because nobody deserves to be in the situation that these workers are in right now."

Both sides — Canada Post and the union  — told CBC they'd provided different options to have benefits continue but each side refused. 

"We understand the uncertainty for employees as CUPW's national strike continues and sympathize with this situation," Canada Post said, but added the expired collective agreements are no longer in force when workers go on strike.

"Unfortunately the strike drags on, and the uncertainty for our employees and Canadians continues. We hope to reach new agreements soon to help everyone move forward," it said.

We wish we had time just for being with the family and not worry about money.​​- Manon Gignac

While it's within Canada Post's right to terminate benefits while employees are on strike, Gilles LeVasseur, a professor of business and law at the University of Ottawa, said it's also a question of optics.

"You have to showcase that you also care for those that are the most vulnerable. You have to showcase that you're able to step up to the plate and tell the citizens of Canada, yes, we're not in [agreement] with the actual strike, yes, we want to resolve it."

But the employer should also be "able to make certain measures of accommodations to provide minimum quality services to individuals," he said.

LeVasseur said the experience should serve as a lesson to unions to include a guarantee in their collective agreements that benefits won't be terminated if employees go on strike.

Gignac said one of the worst aspects of this is that it's marring their time together when they should be dealing with his illness.

"We wish we had time just for being with the family and not worry about money," she said.