OTTAWA – Canada Post has put a fresh set of offers on the table in its negotiations with the postal workers’ union, but there are no guarantees a deal will land before mail carriers are set to strike at the end of the week.
Seeking to avert another job action, the Crown corporation’s latest proposals include wage hikes and plans for weekend delivery.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers took to the picket lines for 32 days in late 2024, snarling mail delivery over the busy holiday shopping season.
While the federal government stepped in at the time to ask the industrial relations board to extend the current agreement and clear the backlog of deliveries, that reprieve is nearing its end.
Here’s what you need to know about how the looming labour disruption could affect your mail.
When would the strike begin?
The current agreement between Canada Post and CUPW is set to expire on May 22.
The union gave notice earlier this week of its intent to go on strike starting at 12:00 a.m. on Friday, May 23.
The two parties could reach a deal before then to avert a strike, but recent talks have been unproductive.
Canada Post issued a new set of proposals to CUPW on Wednesday, which the union said it would review before providing additional updates.
What would a strike look like?
CUPW has not yet announced whether it would implement rotating strikes or a national strike.
In either instance, Canada Post has warned customers to expect delays in deliveries.
In the case of rotating strikes, service will grind to a halt in some parts of the country but Canada Post will continue to deliver mail in unaffected areas.
For a national strike, Canada Post service will effectively shut down, with a few exceptions.
What happens to my mail?
No new mail would be accepted and existing letters and packages already in the postal system will not be delivered until the strike is over.
During last year’s shutdown, thousands of Canadians’ passports were held in limbo and holiday cards and gifts could not be delivered via the postal service, pushing consumers to utilize courier services instead.
Canada Post warns it will take time to get back up to speed following any kind of service disruption.
After the holiday strike last year was interrupted in mid-December, it wasn’t until Jan. 6 that Canada Post said its domestic service levels were back to normal. It wasn’t until mid-February that the rest of its service had normalized.
Canadian banks are warning customers their financial statements might be delayed in the event of a strike if they subscribe to paper-based updates and are not signed up for electronic messaging.
Canada Post delivers nearly 8.5 million letters and 1.1 million parcels per weekday, based on 2023 figures.
Are there any exceptions?
Canada Post and CUPW have agreed to continue the delivery of socio-economic cheques to Canadians even in the event of a labour disruption.
Government financial assistance has already been delivered for May, the Crown corporation said, and details for June deliveries will be available soon.
The delivery of live animals will also continue in the event of a strike, though no new animals will be accepted into the postal system in affected areas.
— With files from Christopher Reynolds in Montreal
