Canada Post workers can't survive on current wages: union official

Canada Post is negotiating in bad faith while its employees are struggling to survive, an official with the Toronto branch of the union said, after workers across the country went on strike Friday. 

Mark Lubinski, president of the Toronto Local Canadian Union of Postal Workers, said the rising cost of living has hit postal workers hard. 

"We're unable to survive," he said. "We're fighting for ourselves, our families and for our communities." 

He said workers have been at the table for over a year, seeking fair wages, safe working conditions, the ability to "retire with dignity" and the expansion of the postal service across the country.

Lubinski said Canada Post is not negotiating in good faith, claiming they are waiting for the government to legislate workers back to work.

• How does the strike affect you? What should be done about it? Leave your story, questions and opinions here and you might be featured on Cross Country Checkup's Nov. 17 show.

He said postal workers are asking members of the public to contact their local MP to tell them not to pass such legislation. 

"We hope Canada Post goes back to the bargaining table with a decent offer for us," he said. 

CBC Toronto has reached out to Canada Post for comment. 

Lubinski said Canada Post is looking at changing delivery methods for letter carriers that would mean they would be on their routes for longer periods of time, putting them at risk of injury.

He said postal workers want to go back to the job, particularly in time for the holidays. But no mail will be moved until the strike ends, he said. 

Company cites disagreement on part-time jobs

Jon Hamilton, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said the company and the union have disagreed about using part-time workers to provide affordable delivery on weekends. 

While delivering on a weekend is an industry standard now, Canada Post workers must be paid overtime to do so, according to their collective agreement, he said during an interview with CBC's Metro Morning on Friday. 

Hamilton said Canada Post was looking to mix part-time jobs on the weekend with full-time jobs. But that has been "a no go with the union," which wants more full-time positions added, which he said would be too expensive. 

"If we hire someone today with job security, they've got a job for life and the defined benefit pension they're paid through their retirement," he said. "We have to be careful in terms of how many full-time employees that we add to the mix." 

Canada Post has recorded $3 billion in losses since 2018, including $490 million in the first six months of 2024.

Hamilton said the company is looking at long-term solutions to reduce costs, such as increasing parcel processing capacity at plants, but it needs a flexible and affordable seven-day-a-week delivery model. 

At the negotiating table, Canada Post has proposed wage hikes above inflation over the next four years, protecting workers' defined pension plan, protecting job security and increasing leave allowances, Hamilton said. 

"Our hope was to continue operating if they went through rotating strikes, but this is obviously very disappointing, especially at the busy holiday season," he said.

At an unrelated news conference on Friday morning, Mayor Olivia Chow said residents who typically interact with the city via mail can visit "a new special portal" at toronto.ca/mail or call 311 for assistance.

At the same news conference, Coun. Paula Fletcher said the city is hoping for a "quick resolution" given that local businesses are still struggling to recover from the pandemic.

"I know nobody wants to hear that, but it's still a fact of life," Fletcher said.