Most Canadians minimally affected by Canada Post strike, survey finds

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As the strike by Canada Post workers nears the end of its third week, a new poll by Angus Reid finds Canadians split in their sympathies between the Crown corporation and its striking employees. However, the same poll also noted that a sizeable majority of the more than 3,000 surveyed said they were minimally affected by the strike, or in some cases not at all.

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Not surprisingly, given the time of year and the number of Christmas parcels that are sent by mail, most Canadians said they were aware of the strike by more than 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, with 38 per cent saying they were following it closely, and another 45 per cent saying they’d seen media coverage and had the odd conversation. Sixteen per cent said they were “just scanning the headlines.”

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But when it came to impact, almost a third (32 per cent) said they hadn’t been affected at all, while almost half (47 per cent) answered that yes, they’d been affected, but only a little. Only 21 per cent said that a lot of mail they’d sent or been waiting for had been delayed.

Those numbers were fairly consistent among different demographics and regions of the country, although the oldest Canadians were less likely to report being inconvenienced. Just 19 per cent of those aged 55 to 64, and only 14 per cent of people 65 and older, said they had been greatly affected. This compared to 25 per cent of people aged 18 to 34.

This was a surprise to Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid. “Conventional wisdom would suggest the strike action would hit seniors harder,” she told the National Post. “They’re more likely to be receiving physical mail, you’d think. But the younger generations are relying more on parcel services, and they’re feeling the pinch the most.”

Respondents from Saskatchewan were also the most likely to report being affected, with 51 per cent saying they’d felt a little impact, and another 28 per cent saying a lot. Quebecers were at the other end of the scale, with just 19 per cent reporting a major impact, and 40 per cent indicating a little impact.

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Also, rural Canadians were more likely than urban dwellers to report an impact, with 73 per cent of rural respondents indicating they’d been affected in some way, versus just 67 per cent of urbanites.

When it came to siding with the workers and their union or Canada Post, Canadians were largely split on the question, with 34 per cent saying they agreed more with the corporation’s side, versus 29 per cent who said they sided more with the union. Another 23 per cent said neither side had their sympathies.

Those numbers were similar among those who said they were heavily affected by the strike and those who said they weren’t affected at all. For the group who said they were affected a little, slightly more sided with the union (33 per cent) than with the company (31 per cent).

Younger people were also more likely to take the union’s side — 46 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 — as compared to older Canadians, where just 17 per cent of the 65-and-older respondents said they were on the union’s side.

Not surprisingly, far more NDP voters (56 per cent) said their sympathies were with the union, compared to Liberals (30 per cent), Conservatives (17 per cent) and Bloc Quebecois voters (23 per cent).

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Among the sticking points between the two sides is pay rates. The union wants a 22 per cent increase over four years, while the corporation has offered 11.5 per cent.

The last job action by Canada Post workers was a series of rotating strikes in 2018. That lasted about a month and was ended by back-to-work legislation that took effect on Nov. 27 that year, conveniently ahead of the Christmas rush.

Kurl said the lack of government action so far speaks to the fact that a stoppage in mail delivery is seen as more of a consumer inconvenience than a major economic upheaval. She compared it to the recent port strike, in which federal regulators ordered binding arbitration after just a week of job action.

“Thirty, 40 or 50 years ago this would have had very different consequences,” she said. “The stakes at this stage do seem a little lower. That’s why we’ve seen it drag on for three weeks.”

That said, the Retail Council of Canada released a statement Tuesday, “again urging the federal government to take immediate action to end the ongoing Canada Post strike.” (The emphasis was in the statement.)

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“Canada Post is an economic lifeline, delivering parcels, documents, flyers and essential goods,” said RCC president and CEO Diane J. Brisebois. “This prolonged strike is now undermining its critical role, eroding trust and driving up costs for retailers and consumers alike.”

She also referenced the Liberal government’s recent announcement of a GST tax break, set to take effect Dec. 14. “It’s a strange paradox,” she said. “The government hopes to make holiday shopping more affordable with an HST-GST tax holiday, while a strike at its Crown corporation Canada Post is making e-commerce impossible, keeping the best promotional deals out of consumers’ hands, and directing gifts to more expensive delivery methods.”

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