Union Avoids Full Strike—for Now—While Contract Dispute Over Wages, Benefits, and Weekend Delivery Continues
THUNDER BAY – NATIONAL NEWS – Despite falling short at the bargaining table, Canada Post workers will remain on the job for now, as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) opts for a nationwide overtime ban rather than launching a full-scale strike.
The move comes as CUPW officially entered a legal strike position at midnight local time on May 24. In a statement released Thursday evening, the union said the overtime ban was aimed at minimizing disruption to Canadians while maintaining pressure in ongoing labour talks.
“At this time, the union has decided to proceed with an overtime ban to minimize disruptions to the public and lost days for members,” CUPW said.
Midnight Deadline Comes Without Deal
CUPW and Canada Post met briefly Thursday evening with a federal mediator, but the session lasted less than 30 minutes, with no meaningful progress reported. According to Canada Post, the lack of resolution has already begun to erode customer confidence, with some businesses reportedly shifting to private couriers or cancelling mailings in anticipation of disruption.
The current labour dispute follows a tense two weeks at the bargaining table. On Monday, CUPW issued a strike notice to Canada Post, indicating its members could walk off the job as soon as the current contract expired. Canada Post responded Wednesday with a new contract offer, prompting the union to request a two-week “truce” to evaluate the proposal. Canada Post declined.
Key Disputes: Wages, Benefits, and Weekend Work
Among the central issues in negotiations:
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Wages: CUPW has called for a 19% increase over four years, while Canada Post has offered 13.59% over the same period.
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Weekend Delivery: Both sides support expanded weekend service, but Canada Post proposes part-time staffing, while CUPW insists on full-time roles to avoid what it calls a “gig-style model.”
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Benefits and Scheduling: Remain points of tension, with workers demanding stronger job security amid broader financial instability at the corporation.
Background: Strike History and Financial Pressures
This latest standoff echoes a similar strike just last year, when over 55,000 postal workers walked off the job for 32 days during the 2024 holiday season. That job action severely impacted mail and parcel delivery—including holiday gifts and critical documents like passports—prompting then-Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon to order workers back to avoid further delays.
Following that intervention, the Federal Labour Relations Board extended the previous agreement and launched an industrial inquiry, led by veteran negotiator William Kaplan. Kaplan’s final report, released publicly last week, painted a bleak picture of Canada Post’s fiscal future, suggesting the service will need $1 billion in annual federal support by 2026 to stay viable.
His recommendations included phasing out daily door-to-door delivery and a broad overhaul of Canada Post’s operations—ideas CUPW strongly opposed, calling the report “heavily biased” in favour of the employer.
Canada Post by the Numbers
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$3 billion in cumulative losses since 2018
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$1.03 billion federal loan received in January to sustain 2025 operations
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8.5 million letters and 1.1 million parcels delivered per weekday in 2023
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29% share of Canada’s parcel delivery market
What Comes Next?
With an overtime ban now in effect, the risk of wider job action remains very real. If talks continue to falter, CUPW may escalate its tactics in the coming days.
Canadians—particularly businesses and residents in remote and rural regions like Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario—are urged to monitor updates, as further service impacts could hit mail delivery, government correspondence, and supply chains.
CUPW has not ruled out future strikes, and Canada Post has signalled that its long-term viability depends on major structural change.
For now, the mail keeps moving—but the clock is ticking.
