Canada Post has presented a new offer to workers which includes higher wage increases and protection of workers’ pensions. However, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has stated that the offer falls short and a potential strike could occur if a deal is not reached by Saturday. If strike action does take place, it will likely have the biggest impact on rural communities that rely heavily on Canada Post. Residents in these areas may not have many alternatives outside of the postal service, leading to potential disruptions in mail delivery.
During the 2018 Canada Post rotating strikes, it was recommended that Canadians sign up for direct deposit to avoid issues with delayed mail deliveries. Some provincial governments are also making plans in case of a postal strike, encouraging residents to sign up for direct deposit to receive benefits on time. American ex-pats living in Canada are being advised to use express courier services such as FedEx or UPS instead of regular mail to ensure that their ballots arrive in time to be counted. Parcel services like UPS, FedEx, and Purolator are prepared to serve customers in case of a strike and have contingency plans in place to handle any potential increase in demand.
The Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources at the University of Toronto warns that a Canada Post strike could have spillover effects on the overall shipping system. While there are alternative delivery options available, the integrated nature of the shipping industry means that a strike could still cause disruptions even for those who do not typically rely on Canada Post. Canada Post continues to face financial challenges, reporting significant losses in recent years. The corporation has proposed submitting several items to binding-interest arbitration in its latest offer, which the union has criticized as an attempt to push their issues to arbitration.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has stated that the government is working to facilitate a collective agreement between Canada Post and CUPW. While the government is applying resources to help both parties reach a deal, it is unclear if the federal government will intervene in the negotiations. The Liberals are a minority government, meaning that any potential back-to-work legislation would require support from at least one other party. As the negotiations continue, Canadians remain concerned about the possibility of a postal strike and the impact it could have on mail delivery services across the country.
