preparing for a possible Canada Post disruption - news thread

[#1]

As you know, there is again a possibility of a labour dispute at Canada Post this fall, since they never resolved anything last time.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/07/12/canada-post-hellbent-on-labour-dispute-as-talks-continue-union-president-says.html

Since it has been two years since I last updated the Canada shipping alternatives thread:
https://www.etsy.com/teams/7654/etsy-international/discuss/17821085/page/6?post_id=355555017

if people know of new options, please post them here. I know ChitChats has expanded (and is going to be opening in Calgary soon) but there may be other options I don't know about yet. I'd like to have everything in one place as a reference, should the situation get bad.

[cindylouwho2]

Thought I would mention that I shipped a Priority to Edmonton & an Xpresspost to Beamsville (so, not urban) yesterday morning. The Priority is currently out for delivery & the Xpresspost has arrived at the Stoney Creek plant, scheduled for delivery tomorrow. So some tracked items are still on schedule, it seems. Crossing my fingers for everyone else's mail!

[EightMileVintage]

I mailed a package via Xpresspost from Orillia ON in the late afternoon of the 6th and I just got notice that it's been delivered to Vancouver BC this morning. Surprising given the rotating strikes.

[cindylouwho2]

This morning's strike locations:

Alexandria-Hawkesbury (ON)
Collingwood (ON)
Creston (BC)
Drummondville (QC)
Elk Valley (BC)
Englehart / New Liskeard / Kirkland Lake (ON)
Gaspé (QC)
Golden (BC)
Goose Bay (NL)
Granby (QC)
Grand Forks (BC)
Hearst (ON)
Kamloops (BC)
Kimberley (BC)
Kitimat (BC)
Labrador City-Wabush (NL)
Muskoka (ON)
Napanee (ON)
Pembroke (ON)
Powell River (BC)
Prince Rupert (BC)
Rimouski (QC)
Salmon Arm / Revelstoke (BC)
Smithers (BC)
Sunshine Coast (BC)
Terrace (BC)
Whitehorse (YT)


Also, in case you missed it, the PM says that the gov't may get more involved if things do not get resolved soon:
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/11/08/all-options-soon-possible-to-end-canada-post-dispute-...

[cindylouwho2]

my Xpresspost that was sent to Beamsville Wednesday afternoon was delivered this morning; that is normal processing time, as Beamsville is not an urban centre.

An order I placed yesterday has already shipped from Vancouver, & departed Richmond early this morning but is listed as being due to be delivered next Wednesday, which would be slow for Xpresspost even with the Monday holiday. However, the Beamsville package also said it would be delivered next week, so they seem to be adding time into the projections just in case.

[bookbinetc]

Yes, they are. I mailed Expedited on Monday, past cutoff, so Tuesday basically. It was going to ON from BC and 7 biz days OTG. But, they follow it with a 'not really guaranteed' email, and that's fine. 7 days would be the 16th.

The next day, I got an exception email, saying it would be the 19th, but last night it said the 21st.

Now, it says the 22nd (dated Nov. 8, late evening), but at least it was in Winnipeg last night. I cannot see how it would take 2 more weeks to go from Wpg. to west of TO, but I guess they are taking those full trailers into consideration.

I'm not concerned, and the buyer isn't either. Hopefully, it will arrive soon and safe - that's all that matters.

I hope there's not a full-blown strike or lockout, but my shops are all in vac. mode in the meantime.

[cindylouwho2]

Just 2 locals on strike at the moment, but it includes the major hub of Vancouver, as well as the Gaspé (QC)

[bookbinetc]

Well, my parcel is now in Kitchener - 35 km from its destination of Drumbo, but it still shows Nov. 26th as the expected delivery! ha ha ha I'm not worried, but it seems funny. I guess they are concerned that CUPW may go all out, and / or the sorting may take a while.

[cindylouwho2]

Today's locations:

Nova local (NS)
Toronto (ON)
York Distribution Centre (YDC)

[cindylouwho2]

My order that shipped from Vancouver Thursday is out for delivery in Calgary today, despite the fact that last night the projected delivery was Friday. So Xpresspost is still moving well in some areas.

[cindylouwho2 · Accepted solution]

Canada Post suspends delivery date guarantees due to the backlogs:
https://m.communications.canadapost-postescanada.ca/nl/jsp/m.jsp?c=%40%2F5dNYfkVCIidbIw4HlwulYprpj2R...

[BlackCrowCurios]

Cindy I appreciate your updates, thank you!

[bookbinetc]

I saw that suspension of guarantees. My parcel is still taking the scenic route. It went from Kitchener to London, even though it should have been delivered in between the two. They bumped the date out to the 27th now, but I can't REALLY see it taking that long. The guarantee would have been this Friday, and it was only 35 km away yesterday.

oh, well

Thanks Cindy!

[TigersandDragons]

My Xpresspost ended up being delivered on Wednesday, even though the CP website had moved the delivery date to Friday.

But what was upsetting was that I had called CP that morning asking them to "put an electronic note" on the parcel, that it was NOT to be "safedropped" or left in the mailbox if I wasn't home. A few hours later I found the parcel jammed (and mainly sticking out) of my mailbox so so much for that!

Thank god I was still home, if it had been left on Thurs or Friday, it probably would of been stolen before I came back to town.

[bookbinetc]

That is SO annoying, Tiger

We have a community mailbox, so ours go in the cubbies. If it won't fit, our carrier usually runs it up to the house, as we live very close. She never leaves anything though; if we're not here, she cards it.

Every single parcel I send is marked Do Not Safe Drop.

[bookbinetc]

news update - Wed, Nov. 14

Canada Post tables significant, time-limited offer in negotiations with CUPW

Dear Customer,

This afternoon, Canada Post tabled a significant, time-limited offer to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in an effort to resolve negotiations and return our operations to normal so we can deliver the holidays to Canadians, retailers, charities and other customers.

About the improved offer

The offer improves pay increases to 2 per cent per year for all employees, and the extraordinary measure of a signing bonus of up to $1,000 to ensure we can reach a deal and deliver the holidays. This would be on top of the approximately 25 per cent pay increase from the recently announced pay equity ruling. The offer also addresses many of CUPW’s concerns around health and safety and workloads.

The urgency to resolve negotiations

The urgency created by the backlogs and rapidly oncoming holiday volumes are why this offer is time-limited. It will be open for acceptance until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

[cindylouwho2]

current strike locations:

Amherstburg (ON)
Fundy (NB)
Milton (ON)
Montreal (QC)
Sarnia (ON)
Scarborough (ON): 280 Progress Facility and Scarborough Depot 11
St. John's (NL)
Strathroy (ON)
Victoria (BC)
Winnipeg (MB): Mail Processing Plant


news coverage of the new offer, & eBay's comments:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canada-post-new-offer-1.4905899
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/11/14/ebay-begs-trudeau-to-end-canada-post-strikes_a_23589682/

how the uncertainty affects retailers, including small business:
https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/canada-post-uncertainty-weighs-on-retailers-as-critical-holiday-season-l...

[cindylouwho2 · Accepted solution]

not good - Canada Post has told other countries (except the US) not to ship into Canada until further notice:
https://business.help.royalmail.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5317/~/international-incidents-update
https://twitter.com/IMAGAssociation/status/1063237132666449920

[EightMileVintage]

Uh oh.

[cindylouwho2]

Canada Post's deadline for accepting their offer has now passed; the union has filed 2 counter offers & has requested the government appoint a mediator again:
https://www.cupw.ca/en/urban-operations-global-offer-0
https://www.cupw.ca/en/rsmc-global-offer-0

[cindylouwho2]

currently on strike:
Edmonton (AB)
Kelowna (BC)

The federal Liberals are meeting in Kelowna & the union is protesting there.
https://globalnews.ca/news/4674097/striking-canada-post-employees-liberal-mps/

[cindylouwho2]

currently on strike:
Edmonton (AB)
Kelowna (BC)
Kitchener
Scarborough Don Mills Facility


To the surprise of no one, the union has rejected Canada Post's latest offer:
www.cupw.ca/en/cupw-canada-post-negotiate-now

[cindylouwho2 · Accepted solution]

Canada Post has now stated that they are " ... advising commercial customers and Canadians that mail and parcels in or entering its network will have long and unpredictable delays before being delivered.
... [we expect] the worst delays for mail and parcels will be for items that originate or are destined for southern and southwestern Ontario. This is because the country's largest and busiest mail and parcels processing plants, in Toronto, have the highest volumes and have been left idle repeatedly for several days by the union's rotating strikes. As central hubs for the entire country, they see a disproportionately large flow of items.
... As early as the end of the week, Canada Post may be unable to honour pickups and induct items in the GTA due to lack of trailers and space."

https://www.canadapost.ca/web/en/comm/details.page?article=2018/11/19/last_ditch_efforts_t&cattype=s...


It is that last bit that is most likely to spur the government to act - incoming mail being completely shut down in the busiest areas - but of course none of us can say for sure what will happen next.



Currently on strike:

Chatham (ON)
Kelowna (BC)
Kitchener-Waterloo
Scarborough (ON): Markham Delivery Centre (31 Brodie), Richmond Hill Main and West Beaver Creek facilities
St. Thomas (ON)
Woodstock (ON)

[cindylouwho2]

today's list of strike locations:
Chatham (ON)
Prince George (BC)
Scarborough (ON): Markham Delivery Centre (31 Brodie), Richmond Hill Main and West Beaver Creek facilities
St. Thomas (ON)
Woodstock (ON)

[ClosetGothic]

Just popping in to say that I've had a message today from New Zealand Post saying that they are holding all mail to Canada at the Auckland mail centre.
Shipping Express Courier only (DHL).

Thinking of the Canadian Team Members - what an untimely nuisance for you all (no matter the sympathy for postal workers) and I hope it ends very soon.

Keep up the great work, Cindy.

[bookbinetc]

No sympathy here! They always cause a hassle for us.