Question Period Note: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BETWEEN THE CANADA POST CORPORATION (CANADA POST) AND THE CANADIAN UNION OF POSTAL WORKERS (CUPW) – URBAN OPERATIONS UNIT AND RURAL AND SUBURBAN MAIL CARRIERS UNIT

État actuel des négociations collectives entre Postes Canada et le STTP

For nearly two years, the parties have been engaged in negotiations to renew their collective agreements, with federal mediators supporting them in their bargaining for more than a year.

Despite these efforts, no agreement has been reached on the terms and conditions of new collective agreements and rotating strikes are underway.

Canadians have been impacted by the work stoppages and expect a resolution to the dispute. Given the circumstances, it is essential that both parties continue working toward a negotiated agreement.

The Canada Post Corporation (hereafter the “employer” or “Canada Post”) is a Crown corporation serving as the primary postal operator in Canada.

Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (hereafter the “union” or “CUPW”) are negotiating the renewal of two collective agreements, covering approximately 42,000 employees in urban operations and 10,900 employees responsible for delivering mail to rural and suburban routes.

On November 9, 2023, the union served a notice to bargain to the employer for each bargaining unit. The parties then met more than 120 times between November 15, 2023, and August 2, 2024, but were unable to reach an agreement.

Two conciliation officers were appointed on August 13, 2024. Following the conclusion of the conciliation period, two mediators were appointed on October 15, 2024. A special mediator was also appointed on November 14, 2024. Over 60 additional days of meetings were held. However, no agreement was reached.

On September 12, 2024, the parties reached agreements on the maintenance of activities in the event of a strike or lockout. These agreements ensure the processing and delivery of certain government social assistance cheques and the safety of live animals during any work stoppages.

Both CUPW bargaining units began an unlimited nationwide strike on November 15, 2024. The strikes impacted millions of Canadians, both businesses and individuals, and further damaged the financial viability of Canada Post. Bargaining continued during the work stoppage, but the parties were ultimately deemed to be too far apart. With little prospect of a negotiated settlement and increasing damage to a fragile relationship, mediated negotiations were temporarily suspended on November 27, 2024.

On December 13, 2024, the previous Minister of Labour referred the dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) under section 107 of the Canada Labour Code (Code). The CIRB subsequently ordered an end to the work stoppage and extended the collective agreements until May 22, 2025. On December 16, 2024, the previous minister also appointed William Kaplan as Industrial Inquiry Commissioner under section 108 of the Code with a mandate to examine, in close consultation with Canada Post and CUPW, the issues in dispute and produce recommendations for their resolution. Commissioner Kaplan was directed to examine the parties’ bargaining positions as well as the underlying causes of the dispute. In carrying out his mandate, Commissioner Kaplan held hearings with the parties - these were publicly accessible via webcast and were well attended. He also invited input from interested stakeholders and the public more broadly and received more than 800 submissions.

On April 27, 2025, the parties informed federal mediators that they wished to return to the bargaining table. Three days of mediated discussions were held on April 30, May 1st and 2nd 2025. While little substantive movement was achieved, exchanges between the parties were positive and mediators assessed that there was sufficient basis for continued discussion. Further meetings took place on May 8, 9, 12-14, 21, 22, 25, 27 and 28, 2025.

The Commissioner filed his report on May 15, 2025, and the Minister immediately shared a copy with the parties. The parties re-acquired the rights to strike/lockout after the expiration of the collective agreements, which were extended until May 22, 2025.

On May 21, 2025, the employer presented global offers to the union for both bargaining units.

On May 23, 2025, at 00:01 a.m. local time, the union initiated a nationwide overtime ban.

On May 28, 2025, the employer presented final offers to the union for both bargaining units.

On May 30, 2025, the employer submitted a request to the Minister, pursuant to section 108.1 of the Code, asking her to order the CIRB to administer a vote among the members of both bargaining units on its final offers.

On May 31, 2025, CUPW proposed to the employer that all outstanding issues be submitted to binding arbitration. This proposal was rejected by Canada Post the following day.

On June 4, 2025, the Minister called on both parties to return to the bargaining table with federal mediators in an effort to negotiate the terms for an arbitration process to resolve their dispute and to have the union present its response to the employer’s last global offers.

On June 12, 2025, the Minister ordered that a vote be held on Canada Post’s final offers among the employees of both bargaining units, in accordance with subsection 108.1(1) of the Code, and assigned the CIRB the responsibility of conducting these votes. On July 16, 2025, the CIRB provided the parties with a notice of vote, instructing union members to vote on the employer’s final offers presented on May 28, 2025. The votes were held from July 21 to August 1, 2025. On August 1, 2025, the CIRB announced that union members had voted 68.5% (urban unit) and 69.4% (rural and suburban mail carriers unit) against the employer's final offers.

On September 15, 2025, at 00:01 (EST), the union escalated its job action from an overtime ban to the cessation of commercial flyer delivery.

On September 25, 2025, the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, announced that the Government would be implementing a number of the measures outlined in Commissioner Kaplan’s report. These measures are aimed at addressing Canada Post’s financial challenges and they include:

• lifting the moratorium on community mailbox conversions;

• ending the 1994 moratorium on rural post office closures;

• giving Canada Post flexibility on letter mail delivery standards; and

• reviewing the process for increasing the stamp rate.

Minister Lightbound also directed the Corporation to immediately review its structure with a view to identifying efficiencies and reducing costs.

In response to the government’s announcement, the union declared on the same day that its members would begin a nationwide strike effective immediately.

On October 3, 2025, Canada Post tabled revised offers for both the urban and the rural/suburban units. 

On October 11, 2025, at 6 a.m. local time, the union moved from nationwide strike action to rotating strikes.

The parties have agreed to resume discussions and met on October 30, 2025. At their request, federal mediators facilitated the meeting.

The Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates is currently studying the situation at Canada Post.

Canada Post and CUPW are negotiating the renewal of two collective agreements covering approximately 42,000 urban operations employees and 10,900 rural and suburban mail carriers. Despite meeting over 120 times between November 2023 and August 2024, no agreement was reached.

Federal mediators were appointed on August 13, 2024, followed by a special mediator on November 14, 2024. Numerous mediated sessions took place, but the parties remained at an impasse.

Both CUPW bargaining units began an unlimited nationwide strike on November 15, 2024.

On December 13, 2024, the previous Minister of Labour referred the matter to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) under section 107 of the Canada Labour Code. The CIRB ordered a return to work and extended the existing agreements until May 22, 2025.

On December 16, 2024, an Industrial Inquiry Commissioner was appointed under section 108 of the Code to examine the dispute and provide recommendations. The Commissioner submitted his report on May 15, 2025, which was immediately shared with the parties.

CUPW initiated an overtime ban on May 23, 2025.

Canada Post presented final offers on May 28, 2025, and requested on May 30 that the Minister direct the CIRB to conduct a vote on those offers. CUPW proposed binding arbitration on May 31, which Canada Post rejected.

On June 12, 2025, the Minister ordered a vote on the final offers.

On August 1, the CIRB announced that CUPW members had voted against them.

On September 15, 2025, the union escalated its job action from an overtime ban to the cessation of commercial flyer delivery.

On September 25, 2025, the Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement announced that the Government would be implementing a number of the measures outlined in the Industrial Inquiry Commission report. That same day, the union declared that its members would begin a nationwide strike effective immediately.

On October 3, 2025, Canada Post tabled revised offers for both the urban and the rural/suburban units.

On October 11, 2025, the union moved from nationwide strike action to rotating strikes.

The parties have agreed to resume discussions and have meton October 30, 2025. At their request, federal mediators facilitated the meeting.