Mail delivery across Canada faces uncertainty after the national postal workers’ union initiated a strike on Thursday, following the announcement of “significant changes” to Canada Post.
This industrial action follows Minister Joël Lightbound, who is responsible for Canada Post, detailing numerous modifications to the country’s postal service. These include the cessation of door-to-door mail delivery, the termination of the rural moratorium on post office closures, and other adjustments.
Financial concerns were a primary impetus for the declared changes: Canada Post has incurred losses exceeding 5 billion Canadian dollars since 2018, attributed to a decrease in demand for letter mail service.
“The fundamental truth is this: Canada Post is effectively insolvent,” Lightbound stated at a press conference on Thursday. “It provides an essential service to Canadians, particularly to rural, remote, and Indigenous communities, and Canadians are rightly invested in its preservation. However, repeated federal government bailouts are not a sustainable solution.”
The union—representing approximately 55,000 employees—is striking to “push back” against these changes, which it contends would lead to a reduction in its workforce.
“Instead of supporting secure, stable jobs and protecting universal mail service for all Canadians, the Government has chosen to align with Canada Post’s corporate agenda—a plan the Union has consistently warned was designed to degrade services, weaken employees, and open the door to privatization,” the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) affirmed in an emailed statement to TIME. “This strike concerns more than just workers’ rights. It is about defending a public service that communities nationwide rely on every single day.”
Here are the key details.
Why is the strike occurring?
The CUPW is striking in response to the Canadian government’s acceptance of recommendations proposed by a commission in May. These recommendations called for the closure of rural post offices, a reduction in the requirement for five-day-a-week mail delivery, and the transfer of numerous addresses to . The latter would affect 4 million households that currently receive mail delivered to their doorstep.
Under the measures announced by Lightbound, who cited the evolving reliance on postal services, Canada Post would also gain the ability to increase stamp prices more frequently.
“The Minister emphasized the importance of serving all Canadians, but these recommendations will only undermine public service. We have received no specifics on how any of them will be implemented,” the union communicated in a Thursday .
What is the expected duration of the strike?
The duration of the strike remains uncertain.
The CUPW has been engaged in contract negotiations with Canada Post for roughly two years. Tensions between postal workers and Canada’s federal government have escalated over the past year amidst the dispute. Workers similarly undertook a strike in November, addressing issues such as job security, wage increases, and rights to paid meal and rest periods. That strike concluded in December, lasting over a month.
Since resuming work, the union has pursued other actions in an effort to compel Canada Post back to the bargaining table. In May, CUPW implemented an overtime ban—which has since been rescinded. This September, workers .
Union members rejected what Canada Post had characterized as its “final” contract offer in early August. Last week, Canada Post indicated it would be sending a new offer to the CUPW to advance negotiations, according to the Canadian Press.