A split has emerged within the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ national leadership as members prepare to vote on tentative collective agreements with Canada Post.
According to information published in the union’s Spring 2026 edition of Perspective Magazine, about 60 per cent of the National Executive Board is recommending acceptance of the tentative agreements.
The majority argues the deal represents the best outcome possible after what it describes as one of the most difficult rounds of bargaining in the union’s history, pointing to gains on wages, benefits and job security protections.
The tentative agreements include wage increases of 6.5 per cent in 2024 and three per cent in 2025, with future increases tied to inflation, along with improvements to benefits and paid leave provisions.
Both the Urban and Rural and Suburban Mail Carrier negotiating committees are also recommending ratification, citing the ability to fend off major employer concessions, including threats to job security, pensions and retail operations.
However, a minority faction within the National Executive Board is urging members to reject the deal.
The dissenting group includes national president Jan Simpson, First National Vice-President Rona Eckert, Third National Vice-President Jody Hutton, Pacific Region director Jennifer Savage and Atlantic Region grievance officer and urban negotiator Jim Gallant.
In a published minority report, the group argues the agreement represents a retreat from long-standing union demands and fails to address core workplace issues.
“With their recommendations, 60% of the NEB are asking you to abandon our 2023 program of demands that were unanimously endorsed,” the report states.
The dissenting members point to a range of unmet priorities, including staffing levels, workload, health and safety protections, service expansion and limits on technological change. They also argue the deal includes concessions, such as a lower starting wage for some workers and limited improvements to benefits.
The minority report further warns that accepting a five-year agreement would leave unresolved issues in place for years while giving Canada Post time to implement broader operational changes.
The divide highlights a fundamental disagreement within CUPW leadership over bargaining strategy. One side supports securing gains in a difficult environment while the other is pushing for a stronger agreement through continued pressure.
The current vote follows a prolonged labour dispute that has included escalating job action over the past two years. More than 55,000 postal workers walked off the job in a national strike in November 2024 after negotiations stalled, disrupting mail delivery across the country. The strike was later halted following government intervention.
Labour tensions continued into 2025, including an overtime ban and renewed strike action beginning in September. That stoppage was scaled back to rotating strikes in October, allowing limited mail delivery to resume while maintaining pressure on Canada Post during negotiations.
Members are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreements between April 20 and May 30, with a parallel vote on whether to grant the union a strike mandate if the deals are rejected.