Workers at Canada Post have begun voting on a proposed five-year contract, as labour tensions continue between the employer and union.
Roughly 55,000 employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers will cast ballots from now until May 30 to decide whether to ratify the agreement. The vote follows more than two years of disputes over wages and structural changes, during which workers staged multiple strikes.
As part of the process, both sides have agreed to refrain from any strike or lockout activity while voting is underway. However, workers are also voting separately on whether to authorize a strike mandate in case the contract is rejected.
The proposed deal has divided union leadership. While about 60 per cent of the union’s board has endorsed the agreement, citing job security provisions, the union’s president is urging members to vote against it, arguing it weakens worker rights and compensation.
The vote comes at a challenging time for Canada Post, which has reported more than $5 billion in losses since 2018, driven by declining letter mail volumes and increasing competition in parcel delivery.
