August 1, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Unionized workers at Canada Post have rejected the Crown corporation’s latest contract offer in two separate votes, following nearly a year and a half of negotiations.
According to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, 68.5% of urban postal operations employees (23,440 workers) voted against the offer. The turnout in this group was 80.4%, with 34,228 out of 42,574 eligible voters casting ballots.
Meanwhile, 69.4% of rural and suburban mail carriers also voted to reject the offer, with 9,142 of 11,040 eligible employees participating — an 82.8% turnout.
These votes come after prolonged talks between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which represents approximately 55,000 employees.
Canada Post expressed disappointment with the results, stating in a press release that while the outcome was not what it had hoped for, it does not change the pressing need to modernize and safeguard the country’s vital postal service. The corporation also warned that the uncertainty caused by the impasse would continue to impact its operations, businesses, and Canadians who rely on its services.
The rejected offer included a 13% wage increase over four years and proposed the inclusion of part-time employees—something Canada Post says is necessary to manage rising costs and maintain service viability.
The vote was initiated after federal Labour Minister Patty Hajdu directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to put the corporation’s “final offer” to a vote starting July 21.
CUPW National President Jan Simpson had urged members to reject the proposal, arguing that it undermined the democratic nature of collective bargaining and set a troubling precedent for how governments intervene in labour disputes. In a July 17 statement, she said accepting the offer would send the message that it is acceptable to override union processes and workers’ rights.
Dan Kelly, President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, responded to the vote results by calling on the government to extend the current agreement temporarily and to give Canada Post the full authority to make structural reforms needed for long-term financial sustainability. He warned that the results add even more uncertainty at a time when small businesses are already struggling to plan ahead.
Loading ...
