Postal workers start voting on 5-year contract, strike mandate after labour strife

OTTAWA — Canada Post workers start voting today on a five-year contract agreement that follows labour strife and their union leader urging they reject the deal.

The 55,000 employees represented by Canadian Union of Postal Workers can vote starting today until May 30 on whether to ratify an agreement with the Crown corporation.

Canada Post and the union have sparred over wages and structural changes to the postal service for more than two years, and workers have taken to the picket line multiple times.

Both sides have agreed not to engage in any strike or lockout activity while the ratification votes take place, though employees are also casting ballots on whether to authorize a strike mandate, in case they reject the contract.