Striking Postal Workers Continue to Deliver Essential Cheques to Canadians

50,000 Canada Post workers are braving the November elements, both on the picket lines and on roads across the country. Despite striking for safer working conditions, amongst a plethora of conditions, postal workers are continuing to work to ensure those who receive disability, pension cheques, and other essential benefits, continue to receive their funds on-time.

On Wednesday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) released a statement explaining “CUPW negotiated agreements with Canada Post to ensure the delivery of many government cheques that are a fundamental part of the social safety net in anticipation of a strike or lockout.”

Postal workers have taken a consistent stance under their “Delivering Community Power” campaign to expand their services and continue to be relevant in a changing Canada. While the Crown Corporation proposes cutbacks and enriching executives, workers are showing they are serious about their campaign to serve communities from coast to coast.

“We love the work we do and the connections we've built in our communities. Although we are on strike, our priority today is to ensure that those who rely on us for these critical services are not left behind,” says CUPW president, Jan Simpson.

While organizations such as the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) have pushed for direct deposit and online money transfers, the auditor general estimated that in 2023, nearly 1.4 million households across the country lacked access to basic internet services. These households reside in rural communities that predominantly rely on Canada Post for mail delivery, due to private mail services not deeming these regions profitable.