More than 53,000 Canada Post employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) will vote between July 21 and Aug. 1 on the corporation’s final offers for new collective agreements.
The government-mandated vote, administered by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB), follows months of stalled negotiations. Voting will take place confidentially by phone or online and includes employees in the Urban and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units. Each group will vote on its own offer, with acceptance by the majority required to ratify a new collective agreement.
Canada Post’s final offers, presented May 28, includes wage increases of six per cent in year one, followed by three, two and two in subsequent years – totalling 13.59 per cent compounded – along with a signing bonus, the preservation of defined benefit pensions, and the creation of new part-time positions to support weekend parcel delivery. Canada Post argues these measures are critical to modernizing operations and restoring financial stability after years of mounting losses.
For the philatelic community, the outcome of this vote carries significant weight. Last fall’s rotating strikes disrupted shipping during the critical holiday season, leaving dealers and collectors facing delays, lost business, and disappointed customers. Canada Post acknowledged that continued uncertainty is causing customers to turn to private couriers, noting that parcel volumes have dropped significantly and daily operating losses have reached $10 million – more than double the figure from the same time last year.
CUPW, however, is urging members to reject the offers. In a separate statement, National Grievance Officer Carl Girouard described the proposals as “a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum” that fails to meet workers’ needs and bypasses the normal collective bargaining process. He criticized the voting process as rushed and flawed, warning that without full access for all eligible members, the vote cannot be seen as legitimate.
Canada Post is encouraging employees to accept the offer, stating it provides stability for workers, protects key benefits, and enables urgently needed reforms. “We believe these offers strike a responsible balance – supporting our employees while putting Canada Post on a path to financial and operational sustainability,” the release stated.
For collectors and small businesses alike, the hope is that this vote leads to resolution – and a return to uninterrupted service from Canada’s national postal system.