Canada Post workers will return to work tomorrow, Tuesday, December 17, following a ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
A statement on Canada Post’s website says Canada’s Minister of Labour established a process with the CIRB on December 13 to assess the likelihood of Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) reaching agreements by the end of 2024.
After two days of hearings, the CIRB issued its ruling, confirming the parties are at an impasse. This has resulted in employees being ordered back to work on December 17, with postal operations set to resume at 8 a.m. local time.
What this means for customers
Due to the timing and duration of the strike, when operations resume, Canada Post says it will need to begin processing the mail and parcels trapped in its network, which will take time to clear. Customers should expect delays in processing and delivery.
Some limitations will apply for the first 48 hours after operations resume, including for pickups and drop-offs. Because of this, Canada Post will not receive or pick up new products until Thursday, December 19.
“We’re committed to giving customers as much information as possible regarding specific timelines and capacity. This includes providing details on what to expect during the first few days and as we continue to stabilize operations.”
Retroactive pay increase to employees as process unfolds
Canada Post says it put forward an offer to implement a wage increase of five per cent for employees, which was proposed in the company’s last global offer.
The terms of the existing employee collective agreements will be extended until May 22, 2025.
With both parties in agreement, the wage increase will be retroactive to the day after each collective agreement expired. The increase will remain in effect going forward, and the retroactive portion will be paid out to current employees in two portions:
- An upfront payment before Christmas of $1,000 for all CUPW-represented regular employees (full-time and part-time) and $500 for temporary employees based on a minimum number of hours.
- The wage increase and retroactive payment will be made no later than January 31, 2025.
Collective agreements between Canada Post and CUPW expired on December 31, 2023, for the RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) unit and on January 31, 2024, for the urban unit.
“Our commitment has always been to reach negotiated agreements with CUPW that would help us better serve the changing needs of Canadians and provide good jobs to those who provide the service. We remain committed to doing so within this new process while also meeting the postal needs of Canadians,” said Canada Post.
More details on start-up plans will be made available at canadapost.ca when finalized.
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