Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have finalized the wording in the tentative collective agreements agreed to last December.
Both the Urban and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units for the CUPW reached tentative agreements with Canada Post in December, but the parties only recently finalized some outstanding contractual language.
Specifically, some language surrounding a short-term disability program (STDP) and personal days had to be negotiated.
According to Canada Post, the tentative agreements include higher wage increases, enhanced benefits and a weekend parcel delivery model.
The last step before these agreements can be implemented is a ratification vote for CUPW workers.
The union is encouraging all members to read over the tentative agreements when the information becomes available, and to vote “yes” to the ratification.
These negotiations have been ongoing since December 2023 for the RSMC bargaining unit and since January 2024 for the urban unit, which was when their last collective agreements expired, respectively.
CUPW has initiated strike actions at various points throughout the negotiations in order to have their demands taken seriously.
The nation-wide first strike was initiated in November 2024, but workers were ordered back to work in mid-December by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). At the time, the union claimed this move by the government was an overstep of their rights to strike.
Another nation-wide strike was initiated in September 2025, but shifted to a rotating strike action in October.
The rotating strikes concluded in November 2025 and then, in late December, the union and Canada Post reached tentative agreements which are now being finalized.
Both tentative deals are five-year collective agreements that will expire on January 31st, 2029.
