Canadians will start to see mail in their mailboxes again as the postal workers union shifts to rotating strikes, but Canada Post says customers will still experience delays.
The union went on strike Sept. 25 as bargain talks between it and the Crown corporation failed to result in a new contract. It was the same day Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound announced changes to the postal service, including a switch to more community mailboxes and closing some rural locations.
Canada Post said it welcomed the union’s decision, adding that plans were underway for a “safe and orderly restart” of national operations.
The Crown corporation said that shutting down and restarting operations at various parts of its national network “has always challenged our ability to provide reliable service to customers,” adding that all service guarantees were suspended.
Canada Post noted it has faced 170 days of strike action in less than a year, saying switching to rotating strikes will not change the loss of business it has experienced as Canadians and businesses moved to other carriers over the disruption to service.
“The impact on the company’s already dire financial position is significant and mounting,” the statement said.
The Crown corporation urged CUPW to return to the bargaining table, adding it was waiting to hear back from the union about the latest Canada Post offer on Oct. 3.
“Only new collective agreements will provide the certainty Canadians require to confidently use the postal system,” it said.
The new offer includes compounded wage increases of 13.59 percent over four years, as well as what Canada Post called an “industry-leading defined benefit pension,” health benefits and post-retirement benefits, up to seven weeks of vacation, and a cost of living allowance.
The union said its goal was to see “negotiated, ratifiable collective agreements that strengthen public services, protect good jobs, and build a sustainable post office that will serve Canadians.”
CUPW said that rotating strikes “reduce hardship on postal workers” and maintain pressure on Canada Post and the government to “get back to bargaining,” but also acknowledged it would not result in a return to full mail delivery services.
“Rotating strikes may slightly delay the mail and parcels, but they keep them moving,” CUPW said.
The union said it would not be announcing rotating strike locations, dates, times, or durations in advance.
It also said it would continue to call on Minister Lightbound to reverse the cuts he announced to the Crown corporation in September.
Financial Challenges
Canada Post’s financial situation has been one of the issues discussed between the two parties during negotiations.An inquiry by Commissioner William Kaplan earlier this year found that Canada Post is facing a $1.5 billion loss this year, and his report released in May described the postal service as “insolvent.”
Kaplan also made several recommendations in his report to increase the efficiency of Canada Post.
Lightbound has said Ottawa plans to move ahead with implementing all of the recommendations, and has given Canada Post the go ahead to implement the changes.
