Picket lines for Canada Post workers are set up across the valley this week. The mood was surprisingly upbeat at the outlet on Industrial Avenue in Penticton, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025.

Image Credit: Keith Lacey, Local Journalism Initiative

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) are literally fighting for their jobs, and that’s why they’ve returned to the picket lines, says Local 796 vice-president Craig Kelman.

More than 50,000 CUPW members, including more than 110 from the Penticton local, began strike action late last week as a national walkout got underway.

Unlike past strikes focused on wage increases and benefits, this strike centres on job security. The union claims the federal government has approved sweeping changes, including ending door-to-door delivery for millions and closing numerous post offices.

About two dozen striking employees gathered outside Canada Post’s Penticton headquarters on Industrial Avenue early Monday morning as picketing continued.

The strike officially began Thursday after CUPW leadership called for nationwide action. Members right across the Okanagan valley hit the picket line Friday morning and returned Monday.

“We’re on the picket line to save Canada Post,” said Kelman. “Senior management wants to eliminate all door-to-door delivery across the country within nine years.

“In my view, they’re looking to cut between 10,000 and 20,000 jobs. Casual workers could be eliminated. With 18 years of service, I’m on the edge, not knowing if I’ll still have a job with so many senior workers at this location.”

Previous disputes have centred around wages and benefits, but this one is about keeping jobs as Canada Post undergoes what the union sees as a dismantling of the Crown corporation.

“This isn’t about money for me,” said Kelman. “It’s about job security, preserving our pensions, and keeping our benefits. Sure, a raise would be nice, but it’s not the priority when we’re facing the potential loss of thousands of jobs.”

Tensions between senior management and CUPW have been high for years, but worsened under Canada Post president and CEO Doug Ettinger, said Kelman.

“Since 2018, when Ettinger came in, that’s when we started losing money. Before that, we were making a lot,” he said.

Union studies show Canada Post’s flyer business alone generates between $70 million and $80 million weekly, Kelman claimed.

“In cities like Toronto and Vancouver, they’re making up to $10 million a day just from flyers,” he said.

These same flyers are sorted and delivered by unionized workers who haven’t received cost-of-living wage increases in over a decade, said Kelman.

“There’s no reason we can’t be profitable and still provide living wages, pensions, and benefits,” he said. “We want management to come to the table and be fair. What we don’t want is delay tactics, waiting for the government to bail them out -- again.”

Kelman criticized management for frequently implementing new systems that ultimately fail. “They try something new for a few years, then abandon it and try something else.”

One current management proposal would have unionized workers deliver mail two days a week and flyers on two other days -- an increased workload that deserves fair compensation, said Kelman.

Kelman, who works the busiest route in Penticton, said he walks 22 kilometres per shift.

“It’s like doing a half-marathon every day,” he said.

While the overall mood on the picket line is positive, financial strain is a reality for many members.

“Most of us are staying upbeat,” he said. “But there’s frustration. We know we have to take a stand now or risk losing our jobs entirely.”

Union members are also frustrated by Ettinger’s reported salary of over $650,000 per year -- excluding bonuses -- while he refuses to negotiate cost-of-living increases or address concerns about job cuts.

“He makes more than the Prime Minister,” Kelman said. “He runs Canada Post, not Canada -- and a lot of us think he’s not doing a great job at that either.”

Canada Post has previously labeled mail delivery an essential service to end strikes. Kelman expects similar intervention this time, but likely not for several weeks.

“I don’t think it’ll happen right away,” he said. “We’ll probably be out here at least a couple of weeks, maybe a month.”

In their last dispute -- from Nov. 15 to Dec. 17, 2024 -- the union secured a five percent wage increase. This time, CUPW is seeking a 13 percent raise over three years to keep up with inflation.

“It’s hard to understand why a Crown corporation that was profitable for decades is now cutting wages, pensions, and benefits,” said Kelman. “It’s super frustrating. This all started back in 2011 when they brought in casual workers and a three-tier wage system. That created a divide. As a former casual, I know they work the hardest. They deserve full wages.”

When Canadians think of Canada Post, they think of carriers delivering mail to their doorsteps, said Kelman. Replacing this with community mailboxes isn’t something most people support.

“One of the main reasons we’re fighting this is that we act as the eyes and ears of the community,” he said. “We notice if a mailbox hasn’t been cleared for days. We’ve saved lives by following up when something seems off. Our role in the community is important.”

“All we’re asking for is a decent wage, a fair pension, and good benefits -- like any other worker in Canada.”

CUPW Local 796 covers members from Summerland to Princeton, including the entire City of Penticton.

The picket line is in place daily from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., with a second shift from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald

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