First off is the Union statement
CUPW Issues 72-Hour Strike Notice: A Call for Fair Negotiation
Tuesday May 20 2025
2023-2027/251
No. 83 - AMENDED
On Monday, May 19, CUPW issued a 72-hour strike notice to Canada Post. This action was not taken lightly, but it was done for several reasons.
The collective agreements for the Urban Postal Operations and the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers bargaining units, which were extended by the Government in December 2024, are set to expire Friday, May 23 at midnight.
CUPW negotiators met with Canada Post over several days at the end of April and early May, with the goal of resolving our bargaining dispute and achieving new collective agreements for both bargaining units.
Last week, Canada Post walked away from the bargaining table for the third time, telling the Union it would return with new comprehensive offers. A week has passed. With the expiry of our collective agreements drawing closer by the day, we are still waiting. The clock is ticking, and so far, Canada Post has yet to deliver.
The day after Canada Post walked away and paused bargaining, it fired another shot, by threatening to unilaterally change your working conditions and suspend employee benefits if new agreements aren’t reached. This aggressive move undermines good faith bargaining and the stability of our public postal service. It had to be met with strong resistance. Postal workers won’t be threatened or coerced into accepting offers that will gut our collective agreements and undermine good, stable jobs.
Our right to strike was taken away from us and put on “a time out” by former Minister of Labour Steven MacKinnon’s orders and the Canada Industrial Relations Board in December 2024. By issuing this notice, we are simply announcing our intention to continue our legal strike that was put on pause by the CIRB.
The Work Continues
Although we have served notices, there is still time for negotiations to take place. We remain committed to achieving negotiated collective agreements. Your National Executive Board and Negotiating Committees urge Canada Post to return to the bargaining table with real offers that protect the health and well-being of postal workers, support the communities we serve, and ensure a strong and sustainable public postal service for all.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President
Canada Post continues to operate as CUPW initiates strike action with national overtime ban
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 is a legal strike action and means that CUPW-represented employees will refuse to work overtime across the company.
As a result, Canada Post will continue operating but customers may experience delays. It’s unclear how CUPW’s strike action may evolve. At this time, there are no rotating strikes or national work stoppage. The Corporation will keep Canadians and businesses informed if strike activity escalates and there are changes to postal operations.
The union issued strike notices earlier this week indicating that it intended to begin strike activity as of Friday, May 23 at 12:00 a.m. local time, unless the parties reached agreements before then. The terms and conditions of employment for CUPW-represented employees in the Urban and RSMC bargaining units have not changed.
Update on negotiations
On May 21, the Corporation presented CUPW with global offers that increase wages, remove key sticking points and include changes needed to compete in the parcel delivery business. They also reflect the Corporation’s financial and operational realities.
The offer details are available at canadapost.ca/offers. The company is ready to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible to resume negotiations with the assistance of the mediators.
Canada Post has already seen parcel and mail volumes decline significantly as customers prepare for another potential labour disruption.
Labour disruption would affect millions of Canadians and businesses
Further escalation in strike activity would have major impacts on employees, small businesses and the millions of Canadians who rely on the postal system – and deepen the company’s already serious financial situation. It is critical that both parties focus their energies on resolving issues to reach negotiated agreements.
While lacking a legal definition as an essential service, Canada Post is widely seen as providing one, particularly for rural communities, and the federal government has acted to maintain its operations. During the pandemic, Canada Post was officially listed as an essential service and function. The Government should permanently make Canada Post an essential service. That way, they can not walk out of their jobs. But still be able to strike after work or on weekends when not working. This is the way it is in the USA, where postal workers are deemed essential workers.
Here's why USA postal workers are considered essential:
- Critical Infrastructure:The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is considered a critical infrastructure provider, meaning its services are essential for the functioning of the country.
- Maintaining Services During Emergencies:Postal workers continue to deliver mail and packages even during periods of crisis, such as pandemics or natural disasters, ensuring the flow of essential goods and communication.
- Supporting Businesses and Individuals:Mail delivery is crucial for various aspects of daily life, including businesses relying on mail for invoices, payments, and deliveries, as well as individuals relying on mail for bills, medication, and other important items.
- Exemptions from Restrictions:During times of lockdown or travel restrictions, postal workers have been granted exemptions to continue their work, ensuring that essential services remain uninterrupted.
- Important for the Economy:The USPS is a vital part of the American economy, and its services are essential for supporting various businesses, including those that rely on mail for their operations.
In essence, postal workers are deemed essential due to their crucial role in maintaining communication, delivering essential goods, and supporting businesses during both normal and challenging times.
Day 1 Overtime Ban
Friday May 23 2025
2023-2027/256
No. 87
Today, May 23, is the first day of a nationwide overtime ban. As of 12:01 a.m. today, members were called on to refuse to work more than eight hours a day and more than 40 hours a week. This is a legal strike action and all CUPW members must follow this direction.
Although Canada Post has stated that as of now, our collective agreements are still in effect and the terms and conditions of our employment have not changed, this could change at any time. Because we are on a legal strike, Canada Post does not have to provide a 72-hour lockout notice.
This is why we proposed a two-week truce. It would have provided our negotiators the time to thoroughly analyze and reply to the over 700-page offers from Canada Post, while ensuring stability for workers and the public. Since Canada Post refused, instability continues to loom over these negotiations.
We’ve already heard from members that some supervisors have said that the collective agreements are no longer valid or that the overtime ban is already done. In some locations, full-timers have been told they can do 17.04 on another route as long as they do all the work inside eight (8) hours. All of this is false information. If the Employer states there are any changes to the strike action, your working conditions or your collective agreements, you should confirm this with the Union, as proper notice must be given.
Since the overtime ban is part of a legal strike action, the Employer cannot discipline you for refusing to do overtime. We ask all Locals to keep track of any violations to the collective agreement and provide that information to their National Directors.
Your negotiating committees continue to review Canada Post’s offers and are preparing the Union’s response. The Union expects to meet with Canada Post and the mediators this weekend to continue working towards ratifiable collective agreements.
Remember: Your Union is the most reliable and accurate source of information about Negotiations. Please stay tuned for future updates to keep yourself informed.
Your Negotiators thank all members for their ongoing support!
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President
