Canada Post workers issue strike notice, picket lines ready to begin Friday

Canada Post says it has received strike notices from the union representing around 55,000 postal workers, with operations ready to shut down by Friday.

The Crown corporation was informed by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that employees plan to hit the picket line starting Friday at midnight.

A work stoppage would affect millions of residents and businesses who typically receive more than two billion letters and roughly 300 million parcels a year through the service.

Canadians saw this in November, when the union went on strike for 32 days before Ottawa moved to end the work stoppage in the middle of the holiday season.

Steven MacKinnon, the federal Minister of Labour at the time, asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order workers back on the job while negotiations between both sides were at an “impasse.”

The terms of the existing contract were extended until May 22, 2025.

Canada Post says the disruption would deepen the company’s grave financial situation and both sides should focus on hammering out a deal.

On Friday, a report on Canada Post highlighted its flagging business model and recommended foundational changes, including phasing out daily door-to-door letter mail delivery for individual residences.

CUPW posted, following the release of that report, that they only saw three possible paths forward after Thursday: Canada Post could put a final offer vote to the membership; imposed or agreed to interest arbitration; or a strike or lockout to begin, but with the assurance from the federal government that it will not interfere.

With files from The Canadian Press.

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