Friday September 19, 2025 | NATIONAL [from VICTORIA, BC]
Socioeconomic analysis | by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Canada Post Corporation will have some new global offers for presentation to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), coming next week.
The employer said yesterday that this is to ‘move negotiations forward’.
There still seems to be no sense of common understanding between the two parties — and given their distinct views of a positive outcome, there’s no reason why they should be on the same page.
The union’s response in a statement yesterday seemed emotionally reactive and unaware of what it takes to make a large shift, if in fact that’s what Canada Post is doing: “For now, we have one simple message to Canada Post: It’s about time you responded – but why do we need to wait another week?”
Two sides far apart:
Canada Post said in a statement yesterday that they had hoped the union would “come back to the table with workable solutions that reflect the company’s current realities”, but there’s been no evidence (and arguably no reason) that the union would see things from the employer’s point of view.
Canada Post wants to survive and thrive as an organization. CUPW employees have their job stability and security firmly in mind. Normally those two goals would mesh for the continued success of both parties.
However, given shifts in the way Canadians and particularly small businesses use postal services, there is obviously a need for change by both parties.
Ready for compromise?
If Canada Post is coming back to ‘new global offers’ that would have to be from a stance of capitulation and compromise.
But considering Canada Posts now seven years of financial losses, it’s unclear how or why they would bend at this point.
Asking the union to stop the flyer ban:
Canada Post now feels that with a ‘planned return to the table’ that CUPW should amend its strike action and deliver the unaddressed flyers (Neighbourhood Mail) that are currently trapped in the network.
It was last week that CUPW took a stand to not deliver flyers as part of their job action. They’re essentially asking for CUPW to play nice’, which seems somewhat naive despite how sensible it would be to not have a significant revenue stream blocked.
In their September 18 statement, CUPW says: “As of now, our national unaddressed flyer ban remains in effect.”
Neighbourhood Mail is relied upon by sectors that presumably are now pressuring Canada Post to move things along, i.e. community newspapers, small businesses and charities. That was an effective stance by CUPW, other than the fact that hampering corporate revenues makes it even harder for the employer to pay labour. [Also see: Neighbourhood Mail wrapped in plastic will no longer be accepted starting 2026 — link to come]
Yesterday Canada Post said in an email to their small business customers: “We know this process has been frustrating and we are doing what we can to move negotiations forward and get close to a resolution,” says Canada Post while also acknowledging that businesses are preparing for “their busiest season” (i.e. the holiday sales season). But in reality, where customers can find another way to deliver their advertising messaging, they probably will or already are.
It still remains unclear how the two sides will find common ground for an agreement so long as Canada Post is hampered by a mandate that they must deliver to every door in the country and so long as CUPW still puts an outdated employment model in the front viewfinder of their membership.
===== RELATED:
- No flyer delivery as Canada Post workers continue job action (September 12, 2025)
- Carney announces five major projects to fast-track Canada’s economic transition (September 11, 2025)
- Canada Post advises business customers about new US prepaid export duties (August 24, 2025)
- What can possibly break the Canada Post bargaining stalemate? (August 6, 2025)
- Canada Post workers still on the job with overtime ban (May 23, 2025)
- Post-pandemic social anxiety in dogs leads to incidents for Canada Post delivery agents (July 17, 2021)
- Canada Post employees require safety around dogs (July 12, 2021)
- NEWS SECTIONS: CANADA POST | JOBS & EMPLOYMENT