More than a month after rotating strikes began at Canada Post, employees, businesses, and customers are still waiting for clarity on when the dispute will end. While postal workers continue to show up daily, many say they’re frustrated by the lack of progress in talks between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and the Crown corporation. Toronto letter carrier Helen Karrandjas says that, so far, mail delivery hasn’t been significantly disrupted because strikes rotate from region to region. But with the holiday season approaching, she worries parcels could get caught in the system if negotiations stall.
The rotating strikes began after the federal government announced sweeping changes to Canada Post — including ending home delivery for the roughly four million households that still receive it, and lifting a moratorium on closing nearly 4,000 rural post offices. CUPW, representing about 55,000 workers, strongly opposes these changes. Currently, most Canadians can still mail letters and parcels, but service levels vary. Retailers say unpredictable delivery timelines are causing frustration for businesses and shoppers. CUPW and Canada Post returned to the bargaining table this week, the first negotiations in about a month. The two sides have been trying to reach a new collective agreement for over 18 months. A strike during last year’s holiday season dragged on for weeks before the federal government ordered workers back through Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, a move unions argue violates workers’ rights.
Meanwhile, Canada Post continues to face deep financial challenges. The corporation has not generated a profit since 2017, reported a $1.3-billion loss last year, and expects to lose $1.5 billion this year — sustained by a $1-billion government loan. CUPW has suggested that Canada Post is overstating its financial crisis. In February, Canada Post laid off dozens of managers. This week’s federal budget mentioned plans to allow Canada Post to set its own postage rates, something both the corporation and CUPW have pushed for, arguing current stamp prices are too low to sustain operations. The union previously rejected a government offer of a 13% wage increase, saying it falls well short of its 19% demand and fails to address broader staffing and service issues. University of Ottawa professor Gilles LeVasseur says the rotating strikes may ultimately hurt CUPW’s position by irritating the public while pushing customers toward private delivery services. For now, postal workers say they are keeping an eye on union updates daily — hoping for movement, but bracing for a long winter of uncertainty.
