A Canada Post mailbox stands on a quiet street in Richmond, British Columbia, on September 26, 2025, as postal service disruptions continue across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS
After the Thanksgiving long weekend, Canadians are beginning to see mail return to their mailboxes, though not on a predictable schedule. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has shifted from a full strike to rotating work stoppages, a move it says will limit disruptions while talks with Canada Post continue.
The union represents about 55,000 workers across the country. It began rotating strikes on Saturday, October 11, with walkouts in Dawson Creek and Fort St. John, B.C., as well as St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador. The strike in Timmins, Ontario ended earlier this week.
Canada Post says it welcomes signs of progress but warns that customers should still expect delays and uncertainty as the strike continues.
How Rotating Strikes Work
During rotating strikes, postal employees in select areas stop work for short periods. This means mail and parcels won’t be delivered or picked up in those regions until workers return. Once operations resume, deliveries will restart as quickly as possible, CUPW said.
Union negotiator Jim Gallant explained that the strike hasn’t ended — it has only changed shape. “It makes it so the country can see what the strike touches, what the cuts and service touch,” he said.
Gallant criticized Canada Post’s latest proposal, calling it nearly identical to an offer from May, which workers had rejected by 70 per cent. He accused the company of planning to cut 10,000 jobs and close post offices, saying such changes would hurt smaller communities most.
“This is a service Canadians need,” he said. “The big communities help the small ones, and the small communities will be left with no service if we don’t fight this.”
Workers Describe Uncertainty
Letter carrier Lorraine Muller said postal employees are living with constant uncertainty. “We’ll go into work like everything’s normal, but we don’t know which local will go on strike next,” she said.
Muller described the last two years as a period of instability for workers, marked by depot closures and strict new workplace rules. “It makes you feel like you don’t have a human connection to your colleagues,” she said. “The new system is kind of designed that way.”
Canada Post Responds
In a statement, Canada Post said it was glad to have employees back on the job in some locations but warned that rotating strikes continue to make it difficult to ensure reliable service. All service guarantees remain suspended for now.
The nationwide strike began on September 25, just hours after the federal government announced major postal reforms, including a plan to phase out door-to-door mail delivery for most Canadians within the next decade.
While negotiations continue, many Canadians remain caught in the middle — waiting for letters, parcels, and clarity on when full service will finally return.
