Social media is swirling with rumours and screenshots about another postal strike across Canada starting in May. Will that happen? It’s possible but not definite.
In December 2024, the Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered unionized Canada Post employees to return to work.
At the same time, the board extended the current collective agreement’s terms until May 22, 2025, buying Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers six months to figure out a deal.
That time period also allowed an industrial inquiry commission to take place. The commission took evidence from each side and must deliver recommendations to the federal government by May 15, which could help Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new administration decide whether – and how – Ottawa needs to intervene.
So far, there is no confirmed date for any strike action to take place. May 22 is the earliest any strike could occur.
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For that to happen, the two sides would need to fail to reach a deal, there would need to be no other intervention at the federal level to ensure an agreement, and the union would need to call a strike (or Canada Post could trigger a lockout).
As of Monday this week, negotiations were ongoing.
CUPW and Canada Post spent Wednesday and Thursday last week bargaining in Ottawa with the help of two federal mediators. CUPW said items “where significant differences remain” were not addressed at those meetings.
“We no longer have the shadow of a federal election or the threat of a new majority government hanging over the bargaining process, and we are hopeful that the new minority government will not want to begin its mandate by attacking postal workers,” the union stated on Friday last week.
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CUPW said meetings will continue over the next two weeks.
Canada Post’s last update, on April 29, stated: “We are committed to the bargaining process as we strive to reach new collective agreements that will help us better serve the changing needs of businesses and Canadians while providing good jobs to those who provide that service.
“We know this ongoing uncertainty is challenging for your business. We had hoped new agreements would be reached by this point – and providing you with this certainty remains our priority.
“We will make every effort to be transparent and let you know if there is a risk of a labour disruption. Your business is important to us, and we value the trust you put in us to deliver day in and day out.”
Both the union and Canada Post have acknowledged a work stoppage could happen again as early as May 22, but neither of them have suggested that’s a certainty.
The situation could become clearer after May 15, when the industrial inquiry commission’s report is delivered to the federal government.
