Canada Post strike marks 2 weeks during busy Black Friday shopping weekend

Tyler McCombs, the owner of Devon + Lang, is feeling the impact of the ongoing Canada Post strike in a very personal way. With about 500 pairs of underwear stuck in the mail, his small business is facing significant challenges during what should be the busiest shopping time of the year.

“It’s really terrible they chose Black Friday and the holiday season to make this fight a public thing. It’s not just hurting Canada Post. It’s hurting all Canadians, and it’s hurting me and a lot of small businesses,” McCombs lamented. As a result of the strike, retailers across Canada are scrambling to find alternative shipping companies to send out orders, but using another courier is often more expensive, especially for small businesses like Devon + Lang.

The increased shipping costs are eating away at McCombs’ profit margins, with shipping a pair of underwear now costing anywhere from 50 cents to $12 extra depending on the location. “All of our profit margin is gone when we do that. So we have to unfortunately increase the shipping prices,” McCombs explained.

Canada Post’s busiest season, with 2 million daily deliveries, has been severely impacted by the strike. Jon Hamilton, a spokesperson for Canada Post, expressed the devastating effects of being shut down during the holiday season. “To be sitting on the sidelines during the busiest shopping period of the year is devastating to the business, but also incredibly difficult for our employees and the many people who count on us,” Hamilton stated.

More than 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers have been on strike since November 15, demanding a 22 per cent wage increase over four years. The negotiations have reached an impasse, with Canada Post warning that it could run out of operating funds by the spring. The strike has also led to delays in parcel delivery, as Canada Post’s competitors struggle to keep up with the increased demand.

McCombs, who previously exclusively used Canada Post for shipping orders, has now turned to alternative couriers to ensure his products reach customers on time. “I’m tired of having to deal with all this uncertainty. As a business, I need to be able to know for sure that I can ship a product out and it’s going to get to my customer,” he said.

With no end to the strike in sight, both the union and Canada Post remain at odds over key issues such as wages, part-time workers, and inflation adjustments. The federally appointed mediator recently suspended talks between the two parties, citing significant differences that prevent productive negotiations from taking place.

As the strike continues to impact businesses like Devon + Lang, consumers may see an increase in the cost of their online purchases due to additional shipping fees. The uncertainty surrounding the strike has left small business owners like McCombs frustrated and looking for alternative solutions to ensure their products reach customers during the holiday season.