Discussions are set to resume Monday between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) with the help of federal mediators on the second day of negotiations since the union’s members rejected the “latest and final offers” presented by the Crown corporation in May.
The meeting, which was originally scheduled for Aug. 22, was delayed after Canada Post said it needed more time to review the latest offers for terms from the union.
“We continue to carefully review their (CUPW’s) offers and have requested further information to help support this effort,” a Canada Post spokesperson said in an emailed statement sent to Global News on Aug. 22.
“This work is ongoing as some elements of the offer came with extensive details and legal language, while other elements were high-level and therefore require further details and clarity. We are in regular contact through the federal mediators.”
As of publication, separate requests sent by Global News to Canada Post and the CUPW seeking updates on Monday’s talks have yet to receive a response.
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The current negotiations feature a federal mediator with the goal of helping the two sides come to an agreement, which has remained out of reach for months, although strike action has not been ruled out by either party.
As of Monday, the CUPW is still imposing a nationwide ban on overtime for its members at Canada Post. A full strike is still a possibility should the two sides not be able to find common ground.
The union’s new offers include a total 19 per cent wage increase over four years, along with a cost-of-living allowance system that triggers additional payments during periods of high inflation. There are also improvements to benefits and paid leave.
In November of 2024, unionized postal workers took strike action for several weeks after failing to reach an agreement with Canada Post.
The strike ended several weeks later in December after the Canada Industrial Relations Board approved a request by then-labour minister Steven MacKinnon to end the labour disruptions and order both sides back to negotiations.
This also led to an in-depth review by the Industrial Inquiry Commission, which found that Canada Post was “effectively solvent,” and recommended several changes, including using more community mailboxes and phasing out some individual address deliveries.
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