Here you will find Negotiation updates along with Communications from the National Office. The rates of pay for offices are located at the bottom of the page.
September 27,2025
Announcement from Minister Lightbound
On September 25, 2025 Minister Lightbound announced that the government is
accepting the recommendations in the report issued by Industrial Inquiry
Commissioner William Kaplan on May 15, 2025.
Minister Lightbound stated that:
• The government is repealing the 1994 moratorium on post-office closures in
rural areas.
• Canada Post has been instructed to propose a plan that ensures service
continues in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities despite the lifting of
the moratorium.
• Canada Post has an obligation to serve every community in Canada.
Despite the government’s assurances that Canada Post must continue to deliver to
every community in Canada, CPAA is concerned about these changes and will be
fighting to ensure our members voices are heard.
Over the course of the last day, we have seen an outcry of support from Canadians
across the country who want to ensure that post offices in rural, remote, and
Indigenous communities are protected. As our members know, CPAA offices and
mail delivery are a lifeline for members of these communities. We encourage
members—and friends, family, neighbours, and all residents in your communities—
to keep making your voices heard on this important issue.
CPAA is actively working to ensure that our members have a seat at the table as
decision makers consider these regulatory changes. We understand the importance
of this development, and we will continue to update our website as more
information becomes available.
June 13th 2025:
From CPAA National Office-
The final offer selection arbitration occurred this
week. Today, the Arbitrator issued an award
reflecting the negotiated resolution reached
with significant help from the Arbitrator. Both
CPAA and Canada Post agree that this
resolution is in the best interests of the parties. The
parties are reviewing the award internally in
order to implement it as quickly as possible.
May 16th 2025:
CPAA received the following notice from Canada Post.
We will be reviewing potential impacts on CPAA over the next few weeks. (Submitted by Dwayne Jones, National President)
Canada Post has received the final report and recommendations from the IIC
Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) received the final
report from the Industrial Inquiry Commission (IIC).
This report is the outcome of a series of hearings held earlier this year, in which both
parties participated.
It provides a frank and objective assessment of our challenges and the fundamental
obstacles facing Canada Post and CUPW. The report also offers a series of
recommendations for a sustainable path forward for our company.
We welcome these recommendations, which come at a critical time for us as
negotiations are once again paused, while our need to transform remains vital.
We ask that you please take some time to review a summary of the report’s key findings
and recommendations. We have also provided a link to the full report.
The link to the: Recommendations and findings of the Industrial Inquiry Commission
The link to the full report: Report of the Industrial Inquiry Commission
For the sake of transparency, we have included a letter from our National President, Dwayne Jones, which was sent to Canada Post. The letter expresses our disappointment regarding the treatment of CPAA members in relation to the 5% retroactive pay that was awarded to other Canada Post employees.
April 2025:
The CPAA and Canada Post have agreed on Paula Knopf as the arbitrator.
The earliest available dates for the arbitration are June 9, 10, and 13, 2025, and we have secured these dates. Both parties will present their final offers during this time.
CPAA has requested twice that Canada Post grant our members a 5% retroactive wage increase, effective January 1, 2024. However, Canada Post has refused both times.
We believe our members are not being treated fairly or equally compared to other bargaining units.
CPAA will continue to advocate for our members.
March 2025:
Although there are no new updates at this time, we want to reassure our members that we have not forgotten about you. The negotiating team continues to engage in ongoing communication with Canada Post, and we remain hopeful that an arbitrator will be selected soon. We appreciate your patience and will keep you informed as things progress. Stay tuned for more updates.
January 2025:
What’s next? As previously communicated, negotiations between Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) and Canada Post Corporation (CPC) have come to a standstill, and we have reached an impasse. The next step is to go to final offer selection arbitration where all outstanding matters are referred to an arbitrator fora final decision.
We are currently in discussions with CPC in determining a mutually agreed upon arbitrator. If we cannot agree, the Ministry will appoint one. In the past, CPAA and CPC have always been able to agree on an arbitrator. Once that has been agreed upon, then both parties will submit their final offer packages of the outstanding items, and the arbitrator will review both. CPAA and CPC will also be given an opportunity at a hearing in front of the arbitrator, to present any relevant evidence and defend their offer. The arbitrator will render a decision by selecting only one of the complete offers – without any changes or amendments.
We won’t know when this will happen until we have selected the arbitrator. The Bargaining Committee is continuing to meet to make sure that the arbitrator is selected as soon as possible. We will keep you updated as things progress.
Please don’t hesitate to contact National if you
have any questions.
December 12, 2024
Union President Dwayne Jones stated: “This is extremely disappointing. CPAA came to the table to fix a number of issues that are necessary to ensure the survival of postal services in rural Canada. A Committee of Parliament just recognized that rural post offices are essential to their communities. It raised concerns that pay and funding for those post offices are inadequate.
We have tried to get Canada Post to address those and other concerns. Since we haven’t been able to do that at the bargaining table, the parties are
going to have to go to the next step. We have a duty to our members and the people of rural Canada to keep fighting.”
Issues in this round of bargaining include: wages, which have fallen well behind the rate of inflation; fair compensation for those employees who pay
out of their own pockets to operate Canada Post’s offices; the Corporation’s refusal to return to a fair pension system, despite a substantial surplus in their
pension plan; and job security, including assigning the meaningful amount of work that is currently being done in the post offices. This is in addition to
items that should have been addressed years ago, like compensation when the Corporation asks a person to be fluent in an Indigenous language to do
their job.
The next step is for the dispute to be decided by an arbitrator. The parties have an agreement that Canada Post will not lock out the union and the union will not go on strike. Because of this, CPAA members will continue to keep rural post offices open.
Further information can be found on the CPAA website https://cpaa-acmpa.ca
Report of Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/documentviewer/en/44-1/OGGO/report-22
OGGO – Postal Service in Canada’s Rural and Remote Communities
Contact: Dwayne Jones, President, CPAA 613-745-2095 dwaynejones@cpaa-acmpa.ca
December 10th 2024
We have been receiving a lot of calls from members with questions about layoffs. We have all seen in the news that the Corporation began to lay off employees. This is a very stressful time.
CPAA National reached out to the Corporation late last week and directly asked the Corporation if it was going to lay off CPAA members. We were told that there have been no discussions internally at CPC and there have been no discussions with the Association about a plan to do any layoffs. As of right now, there is no intention to lay off any CPAA member. We will continue to ask these direct questions of the Corporation, and keep you updated. It’s important to note that our Collective Agreement is still in place and if CPC wanted to consider layoffs, there is a process in our Collective Agreement that must be followed.
In the meantime, the picket line protocol is still in place. Please ensure that you are following the agreed to process and exercising respectful behaviours. If you have any questions or are facing any difficulties, please reach out to your CPAA Branch right away.
Because the Collective Agreement is still in place, there should be no changes to your working conditions and no reductions or changes in hours to your post office without the proper process under the Collective Agreement being followed. Also, because we are in bargaining, we are in a period called a “statutory freeze” which limits the Corporation’s ability to change working conditions. If there has been a change to your hours or your working conditions, please reach out to CPAA.
I know this is a stressful and uncertain time for everyone. We commend each and every CPAA member for their professionalism during this time and we will continue to update you as more information comes in.
Strike Information– Nov 15th, 2024 The Canadian Union of Postal Workers have started a national strike. Canada Post will be shut down for the duration of the national strike. Some of you have seen this a few times & for some it may be brand new. Both CPC and CUPW remain at the table working hard for a negotiated agreement. Come November 2nd both parties have
the option to give 72 hours’ notice of strike or lockout. Should a work disruption occur, we promise to communicate with you throughout the process as things unfold. For all CPAA offices you will
remain at work and further instructions will come from your Local Mgt team. Ensure you have your phone trees in place for urgent communications.
November 2024
We are moving closer to the global offer stage of this round of negotiations. Both parties have put all of their individual demands on the table and, with a couple of exceptions, given their answers. Now, the parties will be moving to a neutral location and working to agree to a full package that could form the new Collective Agreement. As we do that, CPAA is keeping in mind the needs that members expressed in the thousands of submissions they delivered to the Negotiating
team. The team is working hard to get the best possible agreement so that members are treated reasonably and fairly for the work they do for Canada Post and their communities.
Sept 2024
In January, the Association reminded members that we had served notice to the Corporation on November 10th confirming that we wanted to start bargaining for a new Collective Agreement.
In February and March, the Association and Corporation had many meetings face to face. The CPAA negotiating team remained hopeful for a productive round of bargaining with over 50% of CPAA’s demands having been submitted. The Association reminded members that the current collective agreement remains in effect with all the rights and benefits.
In April, members were reminded that the negotiating team had continued to meet with the Corporation as they not only submitted demands for this round of negotiations but also had to advance issues from previous rounds. The team is doing a great job in ensuring that the members voices were heard. The Association continues to strive for a fair and equitable Collective Agreement.
In the Spring edition of the magazine members were reminded that the expired collective agreement remains in effect with all the rights and benefits. As well, the policies and practices were also still in effect, so it should be business as usual. Any anomalies to this were asked to be brought forward to the Association right away so that a resolution could be sought.
During the branch convention times (April to June), the negotiating team noted that they had been working over the past year in preparation for this round of negotiations. It was during this time period that the negotiating teams (CPAA and CPC) had met 16 times. The CPAA negotiating team had presented approximately 60% of the members demands. Which were in various stages. Some had been agreed to, others declined, and others still under review.
It was also during this time that the process was also referred to in the event that the negotiating parties could not come to an agreement. Article 60 was referenced to illustrate the process.
In August, the Association finished presenting all of our demands, with the exception of a few possible clean up items. The two sides are set to meet again face to face in September and October. CPAA is waiting on CPC to finalize their asks as we look to conclude a fair collective agreement that reflects the contributions CPAA members make to the strength of the Canadian postal service.
Bargaining Update
Negotiation Update: June 2024
The negotiation committee has been meeting with the Corporation for the last few months. The committee has presented approximately 70% of the Association’s demands. We continue to talk to the Corporation and are hopeful for a contract that is fair to our members. It has been asked by some of our members why
we don’t reveal our demands to our members like other unions do. Simply put: we don’t want the Corporation to know what we’re willing to give up in order to get something better. The Corporation also keeps their bargaining strategy a secret so that we don’t know what they’re willing to give up in order to gain something for
the Corporation. However, the bargaining committee tells us that talks have been respectful and productive, and they are pleased with the progress that’s been made thus far.
November 24th 2023
It is hard to believe we are at the end of another collective agreement.
The Association served notice to the Corporation on November 10, confirming that we wanted to start bargaining for a new collective agreement. We will be meeting with Canada Post in the coming weeks to get the process going. We expect to be at the bargaining table to start formal negotiations starting in February of next year.
Thank you to all the members who have sent in their demands during our preparation period. The Negotiating Committee received thousands of proposed changes to the collective agreement and has met already over several weeks this year to consider the list of demands. Those meetings will continue so that we can prepare a reasonable set of demands to get the best deal possible for all CPAA members.
Your Negotiating Committee will be providing updates to members through the CPAA website as the bargaining process unfolds.
Do you have ideas for negotiations? Click here to download a form you can fill out and send to the National Office.
January 2025
For those who are using Intact Insurance for postmaster provided premises insurance, there have been a few changes to the attached
application.
The Base Annual Premium has increased by $7.00 as of January 1, 2025, to $497.00.
The name of the insurance company has been changed to their parent company, and premiums should now be made payable to Jones DesLauriers
Insurance Management Inc. The option of paying your premium by e-transfer to payments@jdimi.com is also now available and you can also send your
application by email. Please see the instructions and contact information on the application form.
Audience: All active employees participating in the Canada Post Pension Plan
Subject: Call for nominations – Pension Advisory Council representative for all active
members of the Canada Post Pension Plan
Canada Post is seeking nominations from all active members of the Defined Benefit (DB) and
Defined Contribution (DC) components of the Canada Post Corporation Registered Pension
Plan interested in becoming a member of the Pension Advisory Council (PAC). The term of
office for the elected representative is three years.
What you need to know:
- The nomination period opens at 8 am (ET) on Wednesday, January 22, and closes at 5
pm (ET) on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. - Nomination instructions have been mailed to your home address and are available at
cpcpension.com under Recent News. More information about the PAC and this election
is available on the Pension Plan website under Governance Pension Advisory Council.
What you need to do: - If you are interested in representing your colleagues on the PAC, please follow the
nomination instructions mentioned above. You must submit your application by 5 pm
(ET) on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. - If you have questions, please email PACelectionsCCP@canadapost.ca or call 613-734-
1832.
During the Strike- CPAA and CPC have reached a Memorandum of Agreement with respect to Terms with Continuous
Employment during the recent labour disruption.
In determining whether a Term Employee with Continuous Employment has lost their continuous employment, the period of time between November 15, 2024, and December 16, 2024, will not be counted or considered.
Rates of Pay for Acting Assignment
Appendix A
Click here to view or download acting rates of pay effective January 2020
Click here to view or download acting rates of pay effective January 2021
Click here to view or download acting rates of pay effective January 2023
Appendix AA
Click here to view or download acting rates of pay effective January 2020
Click here to view or download acting rates of pay effective January 2021
Click here to view or download acting rates of pay effective January 2023
