Rallies held to stir up support for Canada Post workers across the country

By Canadian Press on May 31, 2025.

HALIFAX — Canada Post workers gathered in 13 cities across Canada today, holding rallies to raise awareness of the ongoing labour dispute between their union and employer.

Basia Sokal, a letter carrier from Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley who joined a few dozen others at an event in downtown Halifax, describes Canada Post’s treatment of its roughly 55,000 unionized workers as shameful.

Sokal says she believes the postal service will continue to push for cuts to staff and services and urged attendees to call their member of parliament to voice their support for the workers.

Saturday’s rallies, taking place in cities including Brampton, Ont., Edmonton and Vancouver, come amid escalating tensions between the two sides and what Canada Post has described as an impasse in efforts to reach a new collective agreement.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a statement Saturday saying it was inviting Canada Post to a fair, final and binding arbitration process to resolve the ongoing dispute.

Canada Post presented what it called its “final offers” to the union on Wednesday, with concessions including an end to compulsory overtime and a signing bonus of up to $1,000.

But it stuck to a proposal for a 14 per cent cumulative wage hike over four years and part-time staff on weekend shifts, a major sticking point in the talks.

Canada Post says the two sides are at loggerheads after months of conciliation and mediation and has asked Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu to force a union membership vote on its latest proposals.

The union has been in a legal strike position as of May 23, but so far has opted to ban members from working overtime instead.

The Crown corporation said this week it logged nearly $1.3 billion in operating losses last year, raising further questions about its business model as letter volumes plunge.

An annual report released earlier this week said a month-long strike last fall stemming from the same contract negotiations cost the organization $208 million.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers took to the picket lines for 32 days in late 2024, snarling mail delivery over the busy holiday shopping season.