'A national strike of any length will impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends,' says Canada Post
Canada Post workers initiated a nationwide strike early Friday morning, after nearly a year of contract negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
Roughly 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) walked off the job Friday, halting mail and parcel deliveries just as holiday shopping is set to ramp up.
In a statement, the union said the strike was a difficult but necessary decision.
"Canada Post had the opportunity to prevent this strike, but it has refused to negotiate real solutions to the issues postal workers face every day. Instead, Canada Post left us no choice when it threatened to change our working conditions and leave our members exposed to layoffs,” CUPW said.
“Our demands are reasonable: fair wages, safe working conditions, the right to retire with dignity, and the expansion of services at the public post office. Postal workers are proud to serve their communities, and we want to do the job we love. A strike is a last resort. We still believe we can achieve negotiated collective agreements, but Canada Post must be willing to resolve our new and outstanding issues.”
Canada Post strike halts services nationwide
Canada Post confirmed widespread delays and the suspension of most services during the strike; items already in the system will be delayed, and no new mail or parcels will be accepted.
"This is a work stoppage resulting from CUPW’s decision to launch a nationwide strike," a Canada Post spokesperson told Global News. "Canada Post was committed to maintaining operations while talks continue."
While most services are suspended, notices at postal offices confirmed essential benefits such as Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security cheques will still be delivered on November 20. Similar exceptions have been made for provincial and veterans’ benefits in regions like Alberta and Quebec.
“Items will be delivered as quickly as possible once operations resume,” Canada Post said in a statement on its website.
“All mail and parcels in the postal network will be secured and delivered as quickly as possible on a first-in, first-out basis once operations resume. However, a national strike of any length will impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends. Shutting down facilities across the country will affect Canada Post’s entire national network. Processing and delivery may take some time to fully return to normal.”
Federal government intervenes in talks
The Canadian Press (CP) reported that federal labour minister Steven MacKinnon has expressed optimism about reaching a resolution, appointing a special mediator to assist in the negotiations.
"Our top federal mediators have been working with the parties tirelessly, and we are now sending additional resources to the bargaining table," MacKinnon said in a post on X.
Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have been negotiating the renewal of their collective agreement since November 2023.
— Steven MacKinnon (@stevenmackinnon) November 15, 2024
Both parties have filed notice of strike and lockout - meaning strike action could occur shortly after midnight tonight, and a lockout…
MacKinnon also highlighted the potential for binding arbitration or legislative intervention if talks remain at an impasse. However, federal action remains uncertain, with some opposition parties already signaling resistance to back-to-work legislation.
Timing of Canada Post strike has businesses worried
“Millions of Canadians and businesses across the country,” Canada Post said.
“Customers will experience delays due to the strike activity. Mail and parcels will not be processed or delivered for the duration of the national strike, and some post offices will be closed. Service guarantees will be impacted for items already in the postal network. No new items will be accepted until the national disruption is over.”
The Retail Council of Canada and other industry groups expressed frustration with the strike’s timing, warning of disruptions during the busiest season for many businesses.
"This couldn’t come at the worst time during the holiday season," Matt Poirier, vice-president of federal government relations at the Retail Council, told Global News.
The strike marks the latest in a series of labour disruptions for Canada Post, which saw similar stoppages in 2011 and 2018. In both cases, federal governments intervened with legislation to resume operations.
This report includes information from Global News and The Canadian Press.
