Canada Post is warning Canadians to prepare for possible mail delays as postal workers plan to strike this Friday.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which represents both urban and rural/suburban carriers, has given strike notice for Friday, May 23 at 12:00 a.m. local time.
For now, Canada Post says it’s still operating as usual. But if the union begins rotating strikes, deliveries could be delayed in affected areas. A full national strike would mean no mail or parcels delivered at all, and no new items accepted until it’s over.
The Crown corporation says a strike would hit both the public and its already struggling finances. Canada Post has lost over $3 billion since 2018 and expects another major loss for 2024. Earlier this year, the federal government pledged over $1 billion in repayable funding to keep the service afloat.
For weeks now, many companies have been warning customers within their apps that a possible Canada Post strike could be coming. So without mail service, customers are being told to check online billing through apps and the web.
A report last week from the Industrial Inquiry Commission declared Canada Post “effectively insolvent” with $3 billion in losses since 2018, recommending the end of daily residential letter mail delivery, rural post office closures, and part-time hires for weekend parcels. The postal union is reviewing the 162-page report but has not yet responded fully.
Talks are ongoing, and Canada Post says it’s committed to reaching new agreements that protect wages and benefits while also reflecting financial realities. As of 2023, there were over 68,000 full-time and part-time Canada Post employees, including temporary, casual and term workers.
Essential items like socio-economic cheques—such as government assistance payments—will still be delivered during any disruption.
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