RECAP | Postal workers back on nationwide strike over Canada Post reform

Canada Post union expects postal service to shut down in the next 24 hoursThe union representing Canada Post workers says its members will be on nationwide strike in the next 24 hours, describing the situation as ‘fluid.’ The LatestPostal workers are going back on strike after the federal government told Canada Post to make some major changes, like stopping door-to-door deliveries and closing some rural post offices.The minister in charge of Canada Post’s mandate said the shift needs to happen if the mail carrier is going to stay in business.The union disagreed, saying the plan left members “outraged and appalled.”Canada Post welcomed the government’s move, but has not commented since workers walked back off the job.UpdatesSeptember 261 hour agoWhat you need to know about the Canada Post newsRhianna SchmunkPostal workers walk the picket line in front of a Canada Post facility in Medicine Hat, Alta., on Thursday. (Eli Ridder/CBC)We’re wrapping our live coverage on Canada Post for now, but here’s a recap for those who might have missed today’s updates.The government has directed Canada Post to significantly change how it delivers mail. First, Ottawa told the carrier to stop door-to-door home deliveries and transitioning those addresses to community mailboxes over the next few years. Second, it said some rural post offices should be closed.All of this, Minister Joel Lightbound said, is part of a plan to save Canada Post, because its finances are in abysmal shape. (It lost more than $1 billion last year alone, with bigger losses expected this year.) The union disagreed, saying the ongoing labour uncertainty is also costing money because customers are going elsewhere.Canada Post welcomed the changes. Then, late in the afternoon, the union representing tens of thousands of postal workers said they were “outraged” by Ottawa’s decision and confirmed they were going back on strike.We’ll have more coverage on cbcnews.ca.September 252 hours agoCanada Post workers say home delivery goes beyond the drop-offKevin MaimannA letter carrier in Toronto’s East York area is pictured in 2016. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)I’m a senior writer on the national desk. I’ve spoken with Canada Post workers today.They say they get to know the people along their routes during home deliveries and perform wellness checks on elderly residents – services they feel are being overlooked. “It’s a little sad that an institution that is kind of in everyone’s community will eventually wither away,” said Daniel Bryant, who has been a mail carrier in Toronto for 20 years. Helen Karrandjas, who has worked for Canada Post since 2020 in Toronto, says it feels like a “waste” to not leverage Canada Post’s network to serve Canadians in their communities. “This is yet another indication that Canada Post is seen only as a parcel delivery company, and the people that work there only as delivery personnel, and completely overlooking the service component of the job,” she said.2 hours agoSmall businesses group says reforms must go aheadRhianna SchmunkThe Canadian Federation of Independent Business said the postal workers’ decision to walk back off the job will have a “massive” effect on small businesses.“Doing this in the lead-up to the critical holiday retail shipping season is especially troubling,” said CFIB president Dan Kelly.“Still, the federal government must push forward with the needed changes ordered today by Minister Lightbound. Now is not the time to turn back.”3 hours agoWhy this strike might be considered legalAnis HeydariCanada Post workers hold a rally at a Scarborough mail facility on Nov. 25. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)I’m a senior reporter covering business, labour and economics at CBC News. Part of why this surprise, sudden strike can be considered legal — even without the typical notice — is because technically, Canada Post workers have already been on strike for months.Things like an overtime ban or a work-to-rule campaign can be considered “strike” or “lockout” moves, and CUPW has been taking those kinds of actions since May.That’s when the back-to-work order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board technically expired, because it ordered the workers back under their old contract from last December until mid-May.”CUPW again issued a 72-hour strike notice, and then refused to take overtime work” earlier this May, said Ottawa labour lawyer Malini Vijaykumar.”They haven’t concluded a new collective agreement since that time,” said Vijaykumar, a labour and employment law partner at Nelligan Law. “So, technically, they may still be in [a] legal strike position, even though they haven’t been fully on strike for the past several months.”That said, Vijaykumar does expect that Canada Post will head to the federal labour board and ask for a new order to get CUPW back to work. She also says it’s possible the federal government could invoke Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to make a similar order happen, though she points out the government has come under “significant fire” for doing that with past labour disputes.3 hours agoIs this strike action illegal?Franny KarlinskyI’m a senior producer with cbcnews.ca. Canada Post employees were already technically in a strike position, so it doesn’t appear illegal right now.CUPW, which represents 55,000 of the service’s employees, says it currently has a strike mandate and can instruct its members to walk off the job. When that happens, no new mail will be accepted and any items already in the system will be held until the strike is over.Union members previously voted down what Canada Post said was its final offer in August. The union’s latest counter-proposal was put forward on Aug. 20. Last week, according to The Canadian Press, Canada Post said it would be sending new offers to the CUPW in an effort to move negotiations forward. The two sides have been in contract talks for almost two years. 4 hours agoCUPW negotiator says Ottawa needs to rethink its decisionRhianna SchmunkCanada Post union expects postal service to shut down in the next 24 hoursThe union representing Canada Post workers says its members will be on nationwide strike in the next 24 hours, describing the situation as ‘fluid.’ A negotiator with CUPW is speaking about the strike on CBC’s Power & Politics. On air, Jim Gallant watched footage of postal workers who have walked onto the picket line in Moncton, N.B., tonight and confirmed job action was back.“We don’t want to be there,” Gallant said of the strike. “We want to be delivering to people’s homes, just like what we call our competition. We want that parcel going. Otherwise, it deteriorates the post office and the writing is on the wall at that point. “We need something that is sustainable, not a sunset industry.”4 hours agoPostal workers’ union to strike again over today’s newsRhianna SchmunkCUPW has issued the following statement: “In response to the government’s attack on our postal service and workers, effective immediately, all CUPW members at Canada Post are on a nationwide strike.”It said the union was “outraged and appalled” by Lightbound’s announcement earlier today.“If Canada Post had focused on negotiating collective agreements and increasing parcel volumes, instead of attacking workers, it would already be on a path to sustainability.”4 hours agoCustomers in Vancouver also worried about those outside the cityBen NelmsRodney Schupe, left, Allison Krowell, centre, and Zachary Shilling, all pictured in Vancouver on Thursday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)People walking through downtown Vancouver this afternoon were aware that losing home deliveries in a major urban centre isn’t the same as losing that service in a small town.Retiree Allison Crowell struggled to recall the last time she got mail from Canada Post – maybe six months ago. Still, she said she was worried for others.“I do believe that they provide an important service for bits that the private sector wouldn’t be interested in and people who live in rural areas,” she said.Zachary Shilling, who works at St. Paul’s Hospital, said he’s more concerned about labour negotiations between Canada Post and the workers’ union. “I care more about labour rights than I do if my packages are late,” he said.Software development manager Rodney Shupe said he doesn’t get door-to-door delivery, anyway, since he lives in an apartment building.“For me, no, it wouldn’t impact me at all.”5 hours agoMail delivery should be consistent for everyone, Haligonian saysNatalie StechysonJanine McGregor, who lives in Nova Scotia but grew up in Ontario, said Canadians in rural communities will naturally be more affected by delivery changes with Canada Post. (Cristian Monetta/CBC News)In an area of Halifax that still gets door-to-door deliveries, residents had mixed feelings.Luke Davison said he doesn’t get that much physical mail, anyway, so he won’t be all that affected by losing home delivery. Still, he said, a community mailbox, “would be a little inconvenient. I guess the door-to-door service is kind of nice.”Another resident, Andrew Leblanc, said he likes his mail delivered to his door but said he is no more entitled to that service than any other customer.“If we are going to go that route, then it should be for everybody. And everyone that has the mailboxes now should get door-to-door delivery. It should be the same thing for everyone,” he said.Janine McGregor said the level of inconvenience will depend on where you live. She said she grew up in Ontario, in an area with a community mailbox.”I think it’s fine if you’re in the city and it’s on the same street as you. But if you’re rural and have to drive somewhere far, that’s not great,” she said.5 hours agoPolling suggests Canadians are open to changeCatharine TunneyWhile it’s been politically unpopular for governments to propose cuts to Canada Post in the past, attitudes may be shifting.Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, said Canadians do see room for improvement even though privatizing Canada Post is a non-starter.When Angus Reid surveyed Canadians this summer, Kurl said nearly three-quarters of respondents said that they would support reducing door-to-door home delivery to three days a week instead of the five days a week.“Those who have already checked out or found other ways to receive communication and parcels, it’s going to have less impact on them,” Kurl said Thursday. “But for those who really care and really rely on it, particularly in rural communities, particularly for those who really say that this is something that they want or need, I would expect there will be some blowback.”