Prince Albert postal workers will be back on their routes next week as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) ends its full-scale walkout and begins rotating strikes across the country.
CUPW Local 810 president Ben McCloy said the move, which takes effect after the Thanksgiving long weekend, is meant to ease the strain on members while keeping pressure on Canada Post.
“It’s a relief financially, and it gives us some hope that we’ll make more progress in negotiations,” McCloy said. “People are living paycheck to paycheck. They need that income for their mortgages, rent, groceries, and bills.”
Under the new plan, postal employees in Prince Albert will return to work Tuesday, while the national union selects specific cities for one-day walkouts on a rotating basis.
“They might have Toronto one day and Calgary the next.” McCloy explained. “It could be a few cities or several. We won’t know until those decisions are made.”
Canada Post announced Thursday it would “welcome employees back” and urged the union to return to the bargaining table. In a statement issued to the media, the corporation said rotating strikes would allow it to restart operations and reduce backlogs while continuing to seek new collective agreements that “provide certainty for Canadians.”
McCloy said union representatives have remained in contact with management but described talks as one-sided.
“We’ve been at the bargaining table the whole time,” he said. “The corporation is the party that hasn’t been there when they should be. They make one offer and stop negotiating.”
He added that returning to work will help both employees and customers.
“There’ll be some delays as we get caught up, but the public should know workers are doing their best,” McCloy said. “Most of us would rather be delivering mail than walking the line.”
Morale among members, he said, is “happy and hopeful.” The union’s long-term goal remains a new contract after nearly two years of bargaining.
“We take pride in our work, and we like serving our customers,” McCloy said. “It’ll take an agreement between the union and the corporation to bring this to a close.”
Canada Post previously cited declining mail volumes and rising costs as reasons for modernization, including expanding community mailboxes and reviewing rural post office protections. The corporation said it remains committed to providing “a reliable, affordable, and sustainable service” while addressing financial pressures that cost taxpayers roughly $1 billion a year.
The union, meanwhile, maintains those reforms would cut jobs and reduce service to small towns, seniors, and northern residents.
For now, Prince Albert residents can expect postal delivery to resume Tuesday, though some national mail delays may continue as Canada Post clears the backlog from the two-week stoppage.
