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 welcomes employees back while urging CUPW to return to the table
Canada Post will welcome back employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) on Saturday, October 11 as the union moves from a full, national strike to rotating strikes. Plans are now underway to ensure a safe and orderly restart of our national operations, which were shut down without warning on September 25 following the union’s sudden national strike.
While postal services will begin to resume next week, uncertainty and instability in the postal service will continue with the union’s decision to conduct rotating strikes.
Shutting down and restarting parts of our integrated national network with rotating strikes has always challenged our ability to provide reliable service to customers. As a result, all service guarantees will be suspended.
No changes to terms and conditions of employment
At this time, we are not making any changes to employees’ terms and conditions of employment, including health benefits. However, employees will continue to not be paid for any time they are on strike instead of being at work.
We will inform employees if there are any changes to the terms and conditions of employment.
More than 170 days of damaging strike action in less than a year
In the last year, Canadians and Canadian businesses have been subject to more than 170 days of strike activity by the CUPW including two national strikes. The only pause in strike activity occurred during the Industrial Inquiry Commission process, which was ordered by the Government.
This prolonged period of instability, uncertainty and disruption has significantly impacted Canadians and Canadian businesses, often without warning. As a result, they have moved to other carriers or are avoiding Canada Post altogether. The move to a different form of strike activity will not change that.
The impact on the company’s already dire financial position is significant and mounting. With continued uncertainty and the expiry of collective agreements, Canada Post will be required to adjust operations to our current business realities moving forward.
It’s time for CUPW to return to the bargaining table
Canada Post has urged CUPW to return to the bargaining table to reach new collective agreements.
The company is waiting to hear back from the union on its latest offers presented to the union on October 3. These offers put forward proposals that are affordable and treat employees fairly given the challenges we face. Only new collective agreements will provide the certainty Canadians require to confidently use the postal system.
The need to align the business to the current needs of the country to reduce the dependency on taxpayer dollars grows more urgent each day this strike continues.
Rotating Strike location updates.
This link to a Canada Post PDF will list the current locations where rotating strikes are in effect. Presumably it will be updated each day when the locations change.
https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/doc/en/news-and-media/active_labour_disruption_EN.pdf
Here is what it is showing today (Oct 14 @ 2:00pm).
Interesting........As with previous rotating strikes, we will not be announcing strike locations, dates, times, nor durations in advance.
The Shift to Rotating Strikes
Tuesday October 14 2025
2023-2027/343
No. 152
On Saturday, October 11, CUPW transitioned from a nation-wide strike to rotating strikes.
The decision to move to rotating strikes was a strategic one. Throughout this round of bargaining, CUPW has used a range of strategies, including nation-wide strikes, a ban on overtime, a ban on flyer processing and delivery, and the current rotating strikes. No matter the strike action, our goal remains the same: negotiated, ratifiable collective agreements that strengthen public services, protect good jobs, and build a sustainable post office that will serve Canadians, no matter where they are located, for generations to come.
Our decision to move to rotating strikes also reflects our commitment to the public, charities, businesses, and our members. Rotating strikes may slightly delay the mail and parcels, but they keep them moving. They also reduce hardship on postal workers, while maintaining pressure on Canada Post and the Government to get back to bargaining.
As with previous rotating strikes, we will not be announcing strike locations, dates, times, nor durations in advance. Members should seek clarification from their local if they are unsure about the process.
CUPW has a long history of winning major gains for postal workers through rotating strikes. In past rounds of bargaining, this approach secured landmark achievements such as pay equity for Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers, improved retiree benefits, and stronger job security provisions. These victories were not handed to us. They were the result of collective action, solidarity, and determination.
We also continue to call on Minister Lightbound to reverse his recent announcement that gives Canada Post the power to gut the public postal service and slash thousands of jobs.
We’ve proven before that when postal workers stand together, we can move the Employer and the Government to make real changes. We’ve done it before, and we can do it again.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President
Operations update: as CUPW moves to rotating strikes, customers should expect delays
After the long weekend, we are safely ramping up our operations across the country – welcoming back employees and restarting machines and vehicles.
While postal services resume this week, uncertainty and instability in the postal service will continue with the union’s decision to conduct rotating strikes.
Shutting down and restarting parts of our integrated national network with rotating strikes has always challenged our ability to provide reliable service to customers. As a result, all service guarantees have been suspended.
Rotating strikes begin
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is holding rotating strikes in the following location(s) today:
Rotating strikes have ended in:
Canada Post continues to operate across Canada
After today, we will be accepting and delivering mail and parcels in all locations, except where there are rotating strikes, but you should expect delays.
Once an item is inducted in our network, it will be secure but cannot be retrieved if that facility is affected by a rotating strike. Items will be delivered as quickly as possible after a disruption is over and operations resume.
Mail and parcels will not be delivered or picked up in locations where there are currently rotating strikes. Once the strike is over in a given location, the delivery of mail and parcels will restart as quickly as possible once operations resume.
Accepting parcels and mail starting October 15, but customers should expect delays
Beginning tomorrow, we will begin accepting commercial inductions into our network. As we manage potential disruptions at select facilities and restart our operations, we will resume scheduled pickups, and you will be able to drop off mail and parcels at our plants, depots and commercial deposit centres (CDCs).
What this means for your business
Given the duration of the national strike and with rotating strikes starting, we first need to begin processing the mail and parcels trapped in our network.
As we continue to operate with an unstable network, it will take time to clear the trapped volume and manage operational resources, so customers should expect delays in processing and delivery. Where possible, all new parcels will be processed on a first-in, first-out basis as we also process the volume already in the network.
Here’s what you can expect in the days ahead:
Parcels
Neighbourhood Mail
Return labels and call-for items
Package redirection
International mail and parcels
Transaction mail
Stay up to date
We remain committed to reaching negotiations agreements with CUPW and are making every effort to minimize the impact of any disruption on our customers. |
Postal Workers Meeting with Minister Lightbound’s Office
Wednesday October 15 2025
2023-2027/345
No. 153
This afternoon, members of CUPW’s National Executive Board and our Negotiating Committees are meeting with the office of Joël Lightbound, the Minister responsible for Canada Post.
This meeting is a follow-up to our discussion with the Minister on October 8. During that meeting, we presented a different picture from the one the Corporation has been promoting to the public over the last two years. We highlighted how repeated government interference in our bargaining process has only pushed Canada Post further away from the negotiating table. We informed him of the negative impact that numerous corporate decisions have had on workers and communities over the last several years.
Finally, we told the Minister that allowing Canada Post to make sweeping changes to its mandate will not save our public post office. It will start a downward spiral that will only harm workers, businesses, charities, and the public who rely on Canada Post. We made it clear that this decision needs to be reversed.
Today, we’ll be building on that conversation. We’ll be correcting some of the misinformation that’s been circulating, and making sure the Minister’s office understands what’s really happened at the bargaining table over the last two years and what is happening in workplaces across the country.
We’ll continue to ask the Minister to push Canada Post back to the bargaining table so we can reach ratifiable collective agreements that support strong public services, good jobs, and a sustainable post office.
This is part of our ongoing effort to make sure decision-makers hear directly from postal workers and not just from Canada Post management.
We’ll share more details and an update on how the meeting went tomorrow.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
Présidente nationale
| |
After 3 weeks of national strikes, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have commenced rotating strikes. Rotating strikes mean that only limited areas of the country will be impacted at a given time. Given this change, and confirmation that parcels are being accepted into the network, we’ve allowed sellers to start using Canada Post services again. However, this labour action will continue to affect the flow of domestic, inbound, and outbound shipments using Canada Post services and there remains the risk of further work stoppages or escalations. Delayed Deliveries:
Shipping Options:
Returns:
We are closely monitoring the situation and its impact on items in transit. For updates on the labour actions and eBay’s response, please visit the Canada Post website and eBay’s Canada Post Strike page. Thank you for your continued understanding and trust in eBay. |
Postal Workers Meeting with Minister Lightbound’s Office – Report Back
Thursday October 16 2025
2023-2027/347
No. 154
Yesterday afternoon, members of CUPW’s National Executive Board and Negotiating Committees met with the office of Joël Lightbound, the Minister responsible for Canada Post, to continue discussions about the future of the public postal service and the urgent need for fair collective agreements.
During the meeting, we outlined in detail what is required to achieve ratifiable agreements for both bargaining units. We spoke about livable wages, health and safety issues, job security, and the need for expanded services that benefit communities across the country.
We made it clear that meaningful progress will only come if Canada Post and the government are prepared to address these issues head-on.
We also corrected some misinformation being spread by Canada Post.
We discussed Canada Post’s financial situation and stressed that postal workers shouldn’t have to pay for bad management decisions.
We were unable to cover all the issues during the last meeting, so a follow-up has been scheduled for the afternoon of October 16.
We will share an update on how the meeting went and the next steps with members tomorrow.
Postal workers are fighting for strong public services, good jobs, and a sustainable post office.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President
Meeting With the Minister’s Office October 16 – Recap
Friday October 17 2025
2023-2027/348
No. 155
Yesterday, members of CUPW’s National Executive Board and Negotiating Committees continued their discussions with representatives from Minister Lightbound’s office about the future of the public post office and what it will take to get ratifiable collective agreements.
We explained the importance of job security protections in our collective agreements as well as the need for stronger collective agreement language to prevent Canada Post from contracting out work. We explained how taking away these protections will only hurt workers and won’t actually help the Corporation grow to better serve Canadians.
We demonstrated how Canada Post has misled the public by pointing to omissions in how it presents its financial picture, and we continued to highlight Canada Post’s campaign to use its subsidiary, Purolator, to undermine our negotiations and drive down Canada Post profits.
We also raised concerns about Canada Post’s “non-negotiable” demands and how these prevent meaningful progress at the bargaining table. One of Canada Post’s non-negotiables is the implementation of dynamic routing; however, we informed the Minister’s office that a dynamic routing pilot project was already trialed and ended by management, not CUPW.
Mandate Review and Lack of Consultation
We asked about the Minister’s plans for the upcoming mandate review and stressed that the process needs to be public and fully transparent.
During his announcement September 25, the Minister gave Canada Post 45-days to present a plan to implement some of the recommendations of the Kaplan Report.
Many new demands are now included in Canada Post’s most recent global offers, in accordance with Canada Post’s understanding of the Minister’s announcement. We pointed out how this impacts the current round of bargaining.
Next Steps
We urged the Minister’s office to get back to us as soon as possible and to ensure that any decisions about Canada Post’s future are made transparently and with Union input.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
Présidente nationale
Minister Lightbound Parrots Canada Post’s Agenda at OGGO Committee
Friday October 24 2025
2023-2027/350
No. 157
On Thursday, October 23, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) held its first hearing to examine the situation at Canada Post.
Joël Lightbound, the Minister responsible for Canada Post presented first and reiterated that the only way to save Canada Post is to implement drastic service cuts. The Minister continued to relay Canada Post’s messaging to justify the Government’s plans to gut the public post office. CUPW is furious that the Minister excluded the information that we provided to him and his office during our meetings over the last two weeks that supported other ways for Canada Post to grow and become sustainable without resorting to cuts to services and jobs.
Ian Lee’s Past Predictions Off by 2 Billion
The Committee also heard from “expert” witness Professor Ian Lee. Professor Lee has become a constant presence in the media where he has established himself as the leading champion for postal service cutbacks.
In truth, it’s unclear why he continues to be treated as an expert when his predictions have repeatedly missed the mark. In his testimony, he said that had Canada Post implemented his proposed cuts in 2015, it wouldn’t find itself in its current financial predicament.
However, in 2015, Lee claimed, “By 2025, there won’t be any more letters.” He was off by 2 billion pieces. In his testimony yesterday, he changed his tune, now saying lettermail will be dead in 10 years. Whenever his forecasts miss the mark, he seems to just add another decade instead of admitting he was wrong.
He also claimed Canadians don’t care about the public post office anymore, citing the lack of backlash during our 2024 strike. Yet within two days of our strike, the public was demanding the Government force us back to work; proof that the post office is anything but irrelevant.
The Union is baffled that Canada Post and the Government continue to base major decisions about the public post office on the opinions of one man, whose past predictions have repeatedly been proven wrong, instead of listening to workers who are on the ground, doing work that Professor Lee has never done.
Revenue Generating Problem
Professor Lee and fellow witness, Professor Marvin Ryder, agreed that Canada Post needs to grow its parcel business immediately to bring in new revenue. Professor Ryder even talked about the necessity of weekend delivery and suggested that this work could be carried out by current full-time staff, which echoes the Union’s plans in our global offers.
While Minister Lightbound and committee members agreed that Canada Post plays a vital role in Canadians’ lives, most seemed ready to accept deep cuts. When we present to the OGGO next Tuesday, October 28, we’ll share our vision and show what the post office can achieve with support, not cutbacks.
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President
Attachment
OGGO Hearings to Continue Tuesday; CUPW to Present to Committee
Monday October 27 2025
2023-2027/351
N0. 158
Tomorrow, October 28, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) will continue hearings into the situation at Canada Post. The hearings will take place between 11 am and 1 pm ET.
CUPW will present during the second hour of the hearings along with the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA).
During the first hour, the Committee will hear from witnesses from the National Association of Major Mail Users, News Media Canada and the Union des municipalités du Québec.
Last week, the Committee heard from Minister Joël Lightbound, as well as academics Ian Lee and Marvin Ryder, who were both in support of the Government’s decision to implement the recommendation of major cuts to Canada Post found in the Kaplan Report.
We intend to use our time to explain how cuts are not the way to return the public post office to sustainability and provide the Committee with other solutions that will preserve good jobs and services in communities across the country.
We will also challenge some of the points made by the Minister and the other witnesses during their testimony to the Committee last week.
- Please note that meeting participants may be amended. For the most current information, see the OGGO Notice of meeting here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/DocumentViewer/en/45-1/OGGO/meeting-11/notice
- You can watch the proceedings on ParlVu here: https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2?fk=13182304
In solidarity,
Jan Simpson
National President
