CUPW Hamilton Local 548 members on strike Credit: Tracey Langille
Welcome to Small Change! Today, we focus on the ongoing negotiations between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post. I’ll be joined on the podcast by Canada Post workers and union representatives, Tracey Langille and Terry Langley.
Tracey Langille, President of CUPW Hamilton Local 548, started her postal career as a member of CUPW as Christmas casual in 1998 before becoming a regular casual worker in 2004. Tracey has been at Canada Post ever since.
Tracey worked brief periods as a clerk at the Hamilton Mountain processing plant, but the lion share of her career has been as a letter carrier – her current letter carrier route is in Burlington, ON.
Tracey was an activist the moment she walked in the Canada Post door and since 2010 has served in a more official capacity including as an executive in 2011 as a part time officer, the recording secretary, 2nd vice president, acting external grievance officer and secretary treasurer for seven years. In December 2022, Tracey became a full-time officer serving as 1st vice president and then, President since 2023.
Tracey is also a member of the National Appeal Board (NAB), a National Women’s Committee (NWC) member, a social steward and a facilitator with CUPW.
Terry Langely, 1st Vice President of CUPW Hamilton Local 548, has been a Member of CUPW for almost 38 years. Terry was the Hamilton Local President for ten years before taking on the role of 1st Vice President for the past five years. Before that, Terry was 3rd Vice President for three years.
During his time as Local President, Terry led the Local Fightback Campaign to stop the elimination of door-to-door mail delivery in 2015. To that end, Terry engaged with various community groups, members of Parliament (MPs) and the general public. His presentation to Hamilton City Council was the catalyst for their lawsuit against Canada Post.
In the early 2000’s, Terry worked as a regional worker advocate for CUPW on the organizing campaign the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers. He has held past executive positions on the Oakville and District Labour Council and been an elected member to various national working committees for CUPW.
Terry has also been a past education facilitator for CUPW teaching courses on Non-violent Direct Action and Civil Disobedience, Labour History, Quality of Worklife programs and Basic Shop Steward.
CUPW went on strike on November 15, 2024, but on December 17, 2024 workers were ordered back to work by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). Find out what government’s interference meant to workers’ rights to collectively bargain and their right to strike.
Negotiations resumed on August 27, 2025 after CUPW asked federal mediators to schedule a meeting with Canada Post — and that was after CUPW provided comprehensive offers.
But before we talk about how those negotiations are going, it’s important that listeners know:
Canada Post owns 91 per cent of Purolator
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Canada Post is on the board of Purlolator
Purlolator is currently offering 65 per cent discount rates on parcel deliveries bringing their price in line with Canada Post’s and that’s eating into the 20 per cent of parcel delivery Canada Post relies on
Despite the fact that this appears to be a direct conflict of interest on the part of Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger, Tracey and Terry discuss how negotiations are proceeding given this situation.
CUPW is asking for so much more than simply higher wages for their members. In fact, most of their asks will improve the lives of everyday Canadians. Take the Postal Banking campaign that launched this past Labour Day. While it’s an old idea, Postal Banking is more relevant than ever and it’s a nation building project that would fully fund Canada Post’s operations while also helping fund other public services that Canadian’s rely on like healthcare and education. Additionally, it would require zero extraction and honour treaties from coast to coast to coast.
The question that demands an answer is, why isn’t Canada Post jumping at the idea of Postal Banking? And, what role does the federal government play in ensuring Postal Banking becomes a reality?
Negotiations between CUPW and Canada Post are nearing the two-year mark. Over a month ago, postal workers soundly rejected Canada Post’s offers in a government-forced vote. Canada Post’s plan to bypass the Union and impose rollbacks failed. With the Corporation’s offers rejected by the membership, the only way to settle this dispute is at the bargaining table with Canada Post changing its positions. Tracey and Terry tell Small Change listeners what “Community Power” could look like and why Canadians deserve it.
Support Hamilton Local 548: Never cross a picket line. Never scab. Honk in support. Take coffee to strikers. Credit: Tracey Langille
But first, we hear from postal worker, Devin Bateson — member of CUPW Hamilton Local 548 — who answered my questions via email.
DN: Devin, given the fact that:
Canada Post owns 91 per cent of Purolator
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Post, Doug Ettinger, is on the board of Purolator
Purolator has been offering a 65 per cent discount on parcel deliveries while negotiations were taking place
Do you believe Canada Post is bargaining in good faith?
DB: I have no doubt in my mind that Canada Post is NOT bargaining in good faith. Using it's Purolator arm to starve the Canada Post arm just shows how little respect they have for their employees and the bargaining system. Using every loophole is a gross tactic especially knowing that the person leading this makes $500,000 a year plus bonuses to keep the working class down.
[Doug Ettinger] was appointed by the government with no vote and loses money every year. Generally, a CEO that losses money gets canned. Unless it's just a larger plan to destroy the corporation intentionally piece by piece, which then hey, he's crushing it.
Honestly it sickens me. I actually understand having the investment in Purolator and even the CEO being on the board. But to be able to use it as a tactic is way too much leverage. And so, there's no such thing as fair bargaining with this corporation.
DN: Last November CUPW workers carried out a legal strike. Then, the Liberal government used Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to order striking CUPW workers back to work in December. How did CUPW’s legal strike being interrupted affect you?
DB: It was disheartening and really made me loose faith in the Canadian governmental system — not that I had much to start. It just really made me realize how little our system and it's controllers care or know about the people's needs. At every turn the corporation seems to not want to work together and the government is putting their full support behind the corporation instead of CUPW workers
We were out on the picket lines for nearly two months and it just felt like, okay what's the point, if the government can just plop you back? It's frustrating and made me loose so much faith. Just a group of out of touch rich people working with other rich people to keep the poor, poor. Cool.
DN: Why would Postal Banking be a great way to save Canada Post while also supporting other public services? It seems like a win-win-win for Canada Post, Canadians and postal workers.
DB: It really seems like an awesome idea that I think would work well for the company and the people. A bank that's actually for the people. Any step in the direction of creating a system that actually helps the people is a step in the right direction. But it's pretty easy to see how the head of the corporation doesn't really seem to want to innovate and work towards creating a more sustainable corporation that actually serves Canadians and profits.
All of it is a larger systemic issue that has infuriated me since I was young and now seeing it day to day is heartbreaking.
On September 19, 2025, National President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Jan Simpson, issued this statement:
The Federal Government is planning a mandate review of Canada Post from October 2025 to March 2026. At this time, we do not have details regarding the format, process or terms of reference. However, we are very concerned that there is no guarantee of public or stakeholder consultation.
We are concerned that the Government will use the recent Industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC) report as a framework for the review. Unfortunately, it examined issues that were beyond the scope of collective bargaining and made some recommendations for drastic service cuts. Notably, these were in the form of post office closures and to resume the conversion to community mailboxes — something the first Liberal Government after Harper was elected to stop.
Through Delivering Community Power, we know that you support expanded services at Canada Post that can also provide good jobs in communities across the country. CUPW’s recommendations to the IIC — and those from individuals and hundreds of municipalities over the years — to include new revenue generating services like postal banking, seniors check ins, community hubs and more — were rejected as a means to immediately increase revenue for Canada Post.
Canada Post also used the IIC to set up its demands for regulatory changes. However, we cannot allow the cart to be put before the horse. We believe that regulatory changes should be examined only after Canada Post returns to stabilized operations, the full impact of the January 2025 stamp price increase is realized, and when parcel volumes reflect sectoral demand.
I am asking you to write your Member of Parliament and the Minister responsible for Canada Post, Joël Lightbound to:
Delay the mandate review
Commit to a fully transparent, public process involving input and hearings from all stakeholders in all regions, and;
Make a written and/or oral submission to the upcoming mandate review – if you have the capacity and depending upon how the review is structured.
You can download a mail-in template letter here, or fill out an online version.
Canadians deserve to have their say on a public service they own. Our Federal Government must respect their voice, their needs, their communities, workers and their rights, and safeguard public services and jobs – not try to quietly erode them.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me via Vanessa Murenzi at vmurenzi@cupw-sttp.org
Sincerely,
Jan Simpson
National President
Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Find more at Hands Off My Post Office!
Find Commissioner Kaplan’s report of the Industrial Inquiry Commission here.
Thanks to everyone who read today’s article and listened to my podcast. With your financial support, a little Nicoll can make a lot of change.
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