Canada post workers strike disrupts mail nationwide

Approximately 55,000 Canada Post employees began a strike Friday, disrupting mail services across the country just ahead of the holiday season.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) announced the action following a year of stalled negotiations over wages, safety, and its members being replaced by technology.

The three-day work stoppage, which includes the shutdown of some post offices and a halt to mail and parcel deliveries, is expected to affect businesses and individuals nationwide.

CUPW’s last major strike action took place in 2018, and lasted for several weeks.

“We still believe we can achieve negotiated collective agreements, but Canada Post must be willing to resolve our new and outstanding issues,” the CUPW said in a statement.

Why Are Canada’s Postal Workers Striking?

The union had issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier this week after almost a year of failed negotiations.

Among their demands are a wage increase of 22 percent, three extra days paid medical leave, and improvements in workplace safety.

In return, they were offered 11.5 percent, with better pension benefits and options to work flexibly.

Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon appointed a special mediator to assist in talks between Canada Post and the union.

“Canadians need them to reach an agreement,” MacKinnon said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “We are making sure that these two groups have everything they need to reach a deal.”

Canada Post, a government-owned Crown corporation, acknowledged the delays and disruptions, citing the strike’s potential to affect its national mail network, with recovery times extending even after the work stoppage ends.

One of Three Major Labor Disputes in 2024

The strike is the latest in a string of labor disruptions across Canada.

Earlier this month, the Montreal Longshoremen’s Union rejected a final offer for a new labor contract, leading to a lockout affecting nearly 1,200 port workers at the Port of Montreal. Another labor dispute, this time between the Canadian National Railway Company (CN), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, led to a shutdown of freight railway operations affecting 9,300 employees in August.

The holiday season exacerbates the urgency of Canada Post’s resolution, given their failing financial performance in recent years.

So far, the service has handled 28 percent less post than average during its busiest time of year. Operating losses have totaled four billion Canadian dollars (about $2.14 billion) since 2018 while the network gets undercut by smaller firms using gig economy workers.

What Can Canada Post Customers Expect Next?

“Customers will experience delays due to the strike activity,” Canada Post said in a statement.

“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.”

In a statement accompanying their decision to strike, 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.”

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press