Postal services in Central Alberta and across Canada will resume on Tuesday at 8 a.m. following a ruling by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). The ruling comes after hearings determined that Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) remain at an impasse in their negotiations.
As operations resume, Canada Post will begin processing mail and parcels trapped in the system during the work stoppage. Customers are advised to expect mail and parcel delivery delays as the backlog is cleared.
For the first 48 hours, from December 17 to December 19, limitations will apply:
- No new pickups or drop-offs will be accepted until Thursday, December 19
- Delays are anticipated as Canada Post focuses on clearing its network
Canada Post has committed to informing customers about timelines and capacity as operations stabilize. Additional updates will be provided in the coming days.
The CIRB ruling has ordered employees to return to work at 8 a.m. local time on Tuesday, December 17. Postal operations will remain closed today to prepare for the resumption of services.
Canada Post has announced a retroactive five per cent wage increase for CUPW-represented employees, applied to the day after their collective agreements expired—December 31, 2023, for Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) and January 31, 2024, for urban employees.
Employees will also receive upfront payments before Christmas:
- $1,000 for full-time and part-time employees
- $500 for temporary employees meeting minimum hours worked
The retroactive portion of the wage increase will be paid by January 31, 2025.
The terms of the existing collective agreements have been extended until May 22, 2025, while negotiations continue under a new process established by the Minister of Labour.
Canada Post has reiterated its commitment to reaching agreements that address Canadians' changing needs and provide fair compensation for employees.
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