Unionized workers at Canada Post to start voting on contract offer

Unionized workers at Canada Post begin voting on the Crown corporation's latest contract offer on Monday.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is urging they reject the proposal.

Canada Post is at an impasse with the union representing roughly 55,000 postal service workers after more than a year and a half of talks.

The vote comes after federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to step in and put the Crown corporation's latest offer to a vote.

Voting will be open until Aug. 1.

The offer includes wage hikes of about 13 per cent over four years but also adds part-time workers that Canada Post has said are necessary to keep the postal service afloat.

The Crown corporation's operating losses amounted to $10 million a day in June, said Canada Post spokesman Jon Hamilton.

"We hope our employees see these offers provide certainty for the road ahead and vote yes to make them their new collective agreements," he said in a statement.

"If the vote is positive, the offers become new collective agreements effective until Jan. 31, 2028. If not, Canada Post won’t speculate other than to say the uncertainty will continue."

Union national president Jan Simpson has said a strong no vote would not only reject the offer, but also protect the integrity of the bargaining process.

A postal strike could push 63 per cent of businesses to walk away from Canada Post permanently, according to a survey released Monday by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

It said around 13 per cent of small firms already stopped using Canada Post after the 2024 strike.

CFIB estimates that work stoppage cost small businesses between $75 million to $100 million each day. 

It says more than 70 per cent of businesses responded to the disruptions by encouraging customers to use digital options, 45 per cent turned to private couriers, while 27 per cent delayed mail.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi