Canada Post employees aren't quite going on strike yet.
Instead, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has launched a nationwide overtime ban for employees in both the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units. This means that employees represented by CUPW will refuse to work overtime.
"At this time, there are no rotating strikes or national work stoppage," stated Canada Post in a press release.
This comes after (CUPW) and Canada Post met again with mediators on Thursday, May 22. CUPW originally issued strike notices on Monday, May 19.
According to Canada Post, CUPW has not changed their terms.
"The meeting lasted less than half an hour with CUPW raising only a small number of the many outstanding issues in an informal manner," stated Canada Post about the Thursday's meeting with CUPW. "It was unfortunately not enough to demonstrate meaningful progress."
The union's strike notice is a continuation from the late 2024 negotiations. When that strike happened back in December, the Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered the two sides back to work 10 days before Christmas. That order 鈥� which extended collective agreements 鈥� expired on May 22.
CUPW stated on its website that it offered a two-week truce to continue negotiations without the threat of a strike or a lockout, but Canada Post refused.
"With the urban collective agreement no longer in effect, we have the right not to take overtime, even if your supervisor says it鈥檚 forced overtime 鈥� because forced overtime was enabled by the collective agreement," CUPW stated in a release.
On Friday, May 16, the Industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC) issued a report recommending that Canada Post phase out daily door-to-door delivery for individual homes. The report noted Canada Post is facing an existential crisis and is "effectively insolvent, or bankrupt."
CUPW disagreed with the IIC report examined by IIC Commissioner William Kaplan.
Canada Post is a Crown corporation owned by the federal government, but is responsible for managing its own operations, in accordance with the Canada Post Corporation Act.
Since 2018, Canada Post has recorded more than $3 billion in losses, and is expected to post further loss for 2024.
More information can be found at canadapost.ca/negotiations.
- With files from Bowen Assman and Lauren Collins
