Canada Post workers have given their union a strong strike mandate just as the Crown agency gears up for the busy Christmas season.
For the better part of a year, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and Canada Post have been trying to hammer out new collective agreements for two of the mail carrier's largest bargaining units, urban operations and the rural and suburban mail carrier units.
CUPW held strike votes on September 9 and October 20. Preliminary results show that 95.8 per cent of urban workers and 95.5 per cent of those in rural areas support walking off the job if there's no progress at the bargaining table.
"We recognize the challenges our employer is facing, and our goal is not to simply make demands but to work together towards solutions that support the long-term success of our public post office while addressing the real struggles our members face daily, said CUPW National President Jan Simpson.
CUPW said it's advocating for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to retire with dignity.
So far, talks have been challenging. Some issues remain unresolved from previous rounds of bargaining, and there have been more recent changes in postal work, including a surge in parcel delivery from online shopping, a trend expected to continue until after the holiday season.
"Our negotiators are committed to securing a fair agreement for all postal workers," continued Simpson. "We won't settle for anything less."