The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) continue to strike, causing disruption to mail and package delivery. As of Oct. 10, 2025, the CUPW moves from a full, nationwide strike, onto rotating groups of strikers, restarting national operations while continuing discussion with the Canadian government.
Despite this, charities report major loss caused by the strike. Many non-profit organizations are left struggling as they head into the critical holiday donation time, donors still rely on mailing checks and the strike delays or prevents these donations from arriving.
Trish Sheppard, President of the Kitchener-Waterloo CUPW, explained the purpose of these strikes is to put pressure on Canada Post to return to the bargaining table and negotiate fair, ratifiable collective agreements.
“We absolutely sympathize with charities and businesses affected by work disruptions. We understand the impact this can have,” said Sheppard. “However, our fight is ultimately about protecting the long-term future of this public service.”
Sheppard continued to say that, historically, rotating strikes have been successful in helping secure fair contracts but expressed concern that this rotation was different than usual.
Sheppard also voiced concerns over Doug Ettinger, current President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Post, “[He] sits on the board of Purolator, a company in which Canada Post owns a 91 per cent stake and is directing business toward that private company. This raises serious questions about fairness and conflicts of interest in the negotiation process.”
Sheppard maintained that transparency and accountability are essential to ensuring a fair system for both workers and the public, hoping that the negotiations will ensure all Canadians continue to have access to reliable, publicly run postal services.
When asked about the negotiations, Sheppard urged for the government to call for a complete financial audit of Canada Post to reveal how the Crown corporation is being mismanaged.
In a statement, Canada Post said it will welcome back employees represented by CUPW as of Oct. 11th, 2025, with plans in motion to resume national postal operations. Customers should expect delays in processing and delivery, as the instability of the postal network settles, it will take time to process the backlog of mail and parcels while continuing to manage the circulating strikes.
As the strike’s ripple effects continue, charities across the country are warning of an escalating crisis in funding. Until a fair and lasting agreement is reached between Canada Post and the CUPW, both workers and the public remain in despair with the situation.
The ongoing mail disruptions have revealed how essential the postal system remains to Canadians, especially for charities that depend on it to connect with donors and communities.
The situation underscores the urgent need for a balanced resolution that protects both postal workers’ rights and the public’s continued access to dependable national mail service—a cornerstone of communication and community support across the country.
Canada Post has called on the CUPW to return to negotiations to reach new collective agreements.
Until a new agreement is reached, both postal employees and the public remain caught in the middle, waiting for a resolution that restores confidence in the country’s national mail network.
Contributed Photo/Sangjun Han
