
The Greve Postes Canada has been making headlines, and it's essential to stay informed about the strike and its impact on operations. The strike began on August 26, 2022, with over 50,000 postal workers participating.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) is leading the strike, demanding better working conditions, pay equity, and an end to forced overtime. The union has been negotiating with Canada Post for months, but no agreement has been reached yet.
Canada Post has been working to maintain operations, but the strike has caused significant disruptions to mail and parcel delivery. In some areas, mail has been piling up, and customers are experiencing delays.
Strike Updates
The strike updates for Greve Postes Canada are as follows: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has announced a national strike, which will cause service delays for Canadians.
Canada Post received strike notices from CUPW for both Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units on November 15 at 12:01 a.m. ET.
The strike notices indicate that CUPW intends to begin strike activity unless agreements are reached before then, and either party could initiate a labour disruption after providing a minimum notice of 72 hours.
Canada Post and CUPW must approach the negotiations with greater urgency to avoid a labour disruption, especially with the cooling-off period coming to an end on November 2.
In case of an interruption of postal service, no mail will be delivered, and delays in sending payments by check may occur.
Here are the essential correspondence options that will be used in case of a strike:
- Letters will be sent to your secure messaging or, if you're not registered, by fax when possible.
- Patient and Medication Exception (PME) decisions will be sent to prescribers through the online PME service, and letters to insured individuals will be sent once postal services resume.
- If you've recently registered with the RAMQ, contact us by phone to obtain your professional number and reference number, which you'll need to register for our online services.
Negotiation Process
The negotiation process between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has been ongoing for some time. Canada Post has received notices to bargain from CUPW, officially kicking off the negotiations process for new collective agreements with CUPW’s two bargaining units.
The parties have exchanged counter proposals, with Canada Post presenting a comprehensive framework for reaching negotiated agreements. Canada Post is considering its options to move negotiations forward as talks with CUPW have ground to a halt on key issues critical to the Corporation's future.
Conciliators have been appointed to help the parties reach new collective agreements. The federal Minister of Labour has appointed conciliators to assist in the negotiations.
Canada Post and CUPW have held several rounds of negotiations, including three days of talks this week. These talks are being held in parallel with the work of the Industrial Inquiry Commission, which is examining the current collective bargaining dispute as well as Canada Post’s broader financial situation and competitiveness.
The negotiation process has been ongoing since November 2023, with CUPW filing notices of dispute with the federal Minister of Labour. Canada Post continues to negotiate with CUPW to renew their collective agreements with CUPW’s two bargaining units.
Mediation and Hearings
Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have participated in multiple rounds of hearings at the Industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC).
The IIC, established by the Minister of Labour in December, is examining key issues in the collective bargaining dispute with CUPW.
Mediators have been appointed to assist in negotiations between Canada Post and CUPW, which is a significant step in resolving the dispute.
The mediators are providing support as the parties continue to negotiate new collective agreements for both the Urban and RSMC bargaining units.
Canada Post took part in a second round of hearings last week as the IIC continues to examine the collective bargaining dispute with CUPW.
The hearings are being led by labour and arbitration expert William Kaplan.
The weekend mediated talks between Canada Post and CUPW broke down without a negotiated agreement.
The parties had entered the weekend hoping that agreements could be reached with the assistance of a mediator.
Canada Post and CUPW are participating in hearings as part of the IIC established by the Minister of Labour in December.
The IIC is examining the bargaining dispute and significant challenges facing Canada Post.
The negotiations are ongoing, with day 11 of CUPW's national strike marked by the company.
Operations and Service
Operations are set to resume at Postes Canada on December 17, 2024, after the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CCRI) ordered the return to work of employees who had been on strike.
The strike, which had been ongoing for weeks, will be followed by a gradual resumption of postal services starting at 8am local time on December 17.
Postes Canada will process new commercial volumes safely and quickly, and will also deliver items that were held in their network during the strike.
Operations Closed for Cirb Hearing
Postal operations remain closed as the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) holds a hearing to assess the likelihood of Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) reaching agreements by the end of 2024.
The Minister of Labour established a process with the CIRB on December 13 to evaluate the situation.
The CIRB has concluded that it's unlikely the parties will reach an agreement by the end of the year.

This means that postal operations will continue to be closed until the CIRB makes a decision.
The CIRB will order postal operations to resume and the terms of the existing collective agreements to be extended until May 22, 2025, if they consider it unlikely for the parties to reach an agreement by the end of 2024.
Operations Update: Holiday Delivery
Canada Post is working hard to deliver items safely and quickly over the holidays. They're catching up on items that were held in their network during the strike.
Canada Post is processing new commercial volumes safely and quickly. This means they're doing their best to get packages to customers on time.
Delivering items safely is a top priority for Canada Post during the holidays. They want to make sure customers receive their packages without any issues.
News and Announcements
Canada Post has presented new global offers to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) for both the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units.
These new offers are a significant development in the ongoing labor negotiations between Canada Post and CUPW.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Canada Post workers want?
Canada Post workers are seeking a 19% wage increase over four years, starting with a 9% hike in the first year.
Sources
- https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/corporate-news/negotiations-list.page
- https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2126712/greve-postes-canada-retour-travail
- https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/2024-11-27/greve-a-postes-canada/la-mediation-est-suspendue.php
- https://www.noovo.info/nouvelle/greve-postes-canada-annonce-la-date-de-reprise-de-ses-activites.html
- https://www.ramq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/professionnels/actualites/2024-11-15/greve-a-postes-canada-options-offertes
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