Starting Monday, July 21, Canada Post’s 53,000 unionized workers will begin voting on the Crown corporation’s final contract offers. The vote—available online or by phone—will run until August 1 and includes employees in the Urban and RSMC (Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers) bargaining units.

The vote, directed by federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu, will be supervised by the Canada Industrial Relations Board, an independent tribunal.

What Happens if Workers Vote ‘No’?

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which has advised its members to reject the offer, says a “no” vote won’t trigger an immediate strike. Instead, CUPW President Jan Simpson says it would send a strong message to Canada Post and the government.

“It sends a clear message to both Canada Post and the government that postal workers are united and will not be pushed around,” Simpson said in a July 15 statement.

If the offer is rejected, the union plans to continue its overtime ban, in place since May 23, but will not initiate a rotating or full strike. Canada Post customers should not expect additional delays in service as a result of a “no” vote.

What Happens if Workers Vote ‘Yes’?

If a majority of workers in both bargaining units accept the offers, a new collective agreement will be implemented—bringing an end to negotiations that have dragged on for over 18 months.

Canada Post’s “final offers,” issued May 28, include:

• A 13.59% compounded wage increase over four years

• Signing bonuses

• Job security guarantees

• New part-time roles for weekend parcel delivery

• “Dynamic routing” to streamline delivery

The company says these changes are necessary to address $3.8 billion in losses since 2018 and to rebuild its parcel delivery business. Earlier this year, Ottawa pledged over $1 billion in repayable funding to help the corporation remain solvent.

What the Union Says

CUPW argues that the offer falls short of expectations. The union is demanding:

• A 19% wage increase over four years

• Full protection against contracting out

• Rejection of flex staffing and dynamic routing, which it says could lead to precarious work and heavier workloads

CUPW national grievance officer Carl Girouard criticized the vote itself, calling it an attempt to bypass collective bargaining.

“From the very beginning, management has shown little interest in reaching fair, negotiated agreements,” he said. “Instead, the employer is using this government-backed vote to try and impose its terms... rewriting our collective agreements without our input.”

Postal workers currently earn between $23 and $30 per hour, with about 70% already at the top of the wage scale.