Canadians could see their mail service come to a halt again as the deadline for Canada Post and the union representing its employees to reach a deal looms.
The two sides have two weeks to reach an agreement by May 22, or Canada Post’s roughly 55,000 will head to the picket line for the second time in less than six months. Employees went on strike for 32 days in November and December last year, grinding the nation’s postal service to a halt ahead of the busy holiday season.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University business instructor Ulrich Paschen says the union has lost some leverage now that the peak holiday season has passed.
Experts also note that Canada Post’s dire financial situation means it may struggle to meet workers halfway on their contract demands.
The two sides agreed to resume negotiations last week, supported by a mediator, after bargaining broke off in March.
Last year’s strike left millions of parcels and letters in limbo ahead of the winter holidays, leaving businesses and consumers scrambling to ship products until a ministerial directive prompted employees to go back on the job in mid-December.
With files from The Canadian Press
