Urgent: Canada Post Strike Hits 2 Weeks as Businesses Demand Reform

UPDATE: The Canada Post strike has reached its critical two-week mark as of August 10, 2023, and a new survey reveals that 87% of small businesses across Canada are urgently calling for significant reforms to the postal service. Conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), this survey underscores the pressing need for change amidst escalating concerns over Canada Post’s operational viability.

The CFIB’s executive vice-president, Corinne Pohlmann, stated, “Canada needs a national postal service, but not in its current form. We’re glad to see the federal government taking steps to modernize Canada Post services.” She emphasized that the postal service is currently losing customers and millions of dollars every day, warning that “doing nothing would just sentence Canada Post to extinction.”

The survey reveals that over half of the responding small businesses—52%—support reducing residential mail delivery, while 51% advocate for replacing door-to-door delivery with community mailboxes. Additionally, 45% suggest limiting or freezing employee compensation packages in the coming years, and 42% support transitioning corporate postal outlets into franchised locations.

In an urgent letter sent to Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu on Wednesday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) accused the Liberal government of “undermining” fair bargaining processes. CUPW President Jan Simpson highlighted a troubling pattern of political intervention that has delayed negotiations and disrespected the bargaining process.

The CUPW met with Government Transformation Minister Joël Lightbound for the first time since his controversial announcement regarding changes to mail delivery operations. Following Lightbound’s announcement, CUPW workers took to the picket lines, expressing strong opposition to proposed changes that would phase out door-to-door delivery and close certain post offices deemed unnecessary.

CUPW has condemned the recent contract offers from Canada Post, labeling them as “even worse” than previous proposals that workers overwhelmingly rejected this summer. This ongoing strike and the demand for reform are creating significant disruptions for small businesses that rely on postal services for their operations.

The situation is developing rapidly, and the implications for Canada Post, small businesses, and postal workers will continue to unfold in the coming days. As the strike persists, all eyes are on the federal government’s next steps and the potential for meaningful changes to the postal service’s structure.

Stay tuned for updates as this critical situation evolves, affecting the livelihoods of countless Canadians and the future of the national postal service.