Canada Post Strike of 2018 Disrupted Municipal and Territorial Elections Nationwide

Labour Dispute Leads to Widespread Disruptions

A series of rotating strikes by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) against Canada Post in late 2018 caused significant disruptions to postal services across the country, directly impacting municipal and territorial elections. The strikes, which began on October 22, 2018, stemmed from a prolonged labour dispute where CUPW sought 'better pay, more job security and minimum guaranteed hours' for its approximately 50,000 members.

Key issues in the negotiations included demands for wage increases, addressing a pay gap between rural and urban carriers, improving health and safety conditions due to high injury rates, and concerns over forced overtime driven by the surge in parcel delivery. Canada Post's offers included annual wage increases and the creation of new full-time positions.

Elections Grapple with Mail Delays

The postal disruption created considerable challenges for election officials and voters, particularly concerning the timely delivery of voter information cards and mail-in ballots. Municipal and territorial elections in various regions, including Ontario, Quebec, Calgary, St. John's (Newfoundland and Labrador), and the Yukon, were directly affected.

Many rural communities, heavily reliant on mail-in ballots, expressed particular concern. Voter information cards, essential for informing citizens about their registration status and polling station locations, were delayed or undelivered. Mail-in ballots became stuck in the postal system, jeopardizing citizens' ability to cast their votes.

• In St. John's, the municipal election was postponed, and local CUPW workers temporarily retrieved ballots from a processing plant to ensure they reached election officials.
• Elections Calgary offered courier services for mail-in ballot packages, though voters sometimes had to cover the cost of return couriers.
• Elections Yukon also considered using couriers for special ballots to voters outside the territory.

Government Intervention and Aftermath

The federal government intervened to end the industrial action, passing Bill C-89, the Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act, on November 24, 2018. This legislation mandated postal workers to return to work by November 27, 2018, and imposed a mediation process to resolve the outstanding issues. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers subsequently challenged the constitutionality of Bill C-89, arguing it infringed on their freedom of association. However, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice dismissed this challenge in July 2024, ruling the matter moot as the legislation had served its purpose and subsequent collective agreements were in place.