Canada Post workers reject offer: Is another strike imminent?

OTTAWA — After Canada Post’s union rejected management’s “final offer,” experts say a full-scale strike is unlikely, but negotiations remain at an impasse.

About 55,000 workers representing the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) rejected a proposal to raise wages by 13 per cent over four years and expand part-time work. Sixty-eight per cent of urban letter carriers and 69.4 per cent of their rural and suburban colleagues voted against the proposal.

Labour relations expert Adam King said the government’s forced vote distracted attention from the real issue — reaching an agreement at the bargaining table. The CUPW has said it is ready to return to negotiations, and a ban on overtime imposed in May remains in place.

While the vote was not a victory for Canada Post, more than 30 per cent of workers supported the proposal, which professor Larry Savage said will make it more difficult to organize a strike.

Labour Minister Patty Hajdu proposed sending the dispute to mandatory arbitration, but Canada Post refused, fearing that the process would drag on.

Crown's financial situation remains dire — the postal service is losing millions of dollars daily, and according to a special commission report, it is effectively bankrupt. Management may take tough measures — impose new working conditions or start layoffs to increase pressure on the union.

However, according to analysts, these actions can only exacerbate the disagreements. Experts believe that what lies ahead is not just labour disputes, but deep reforms at Canada Post — up to and including the cancellation of daily deliveries and the expansion of the network of public mailboxes.