United in Struggle

June 14, 2025

CUPW: Vote No and Fight to Win!

This week’s decision by the federal government to bypass the elected leadership of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and force the union to vote on Canada Post’s “final offer” of May 28th is only the latest move in the ruling class’s mission to suffocate organized labour and gut what remains of public services in this country. The company has attacked organizers in the workplace, bent Ottawa to its will, and unleashed waves of hysterical anti-union propaganda. In the face of these assaults, however, the membership of CUPW has consistently rejected management’s aims to impose wage cuts, job insecurity, and a bastardized, “Amazon-lite” corporate vision for Canada Post. 

The East Van Workers Assembly (EVWA) stands firmly with the fighting rank-and-file of CUPW, and echoes the union’s call for members to VOTE NO on this so-called “offer.” Every step of these negotiations has exposed the existing labour system in Canada to be a rigged game, bought and paid for by the monopoly capitalist class. When workers exercise their right to strike, they’re ordered back to work. When the supposedly neutral Kaplan Commission files recommendations with the government, they check every box in the company’s wishlist. When media commentators weigh in, screeching about Canada Post’s financial situation, not once do they lay the blame at management’s feet. With every organ of the ruling class marching in lockstep, it’s no wonder that, as one CUPW striker told EVWA members last year, “Everything you hear on the news is bullshit!”

Canada Post’s attempt to bulldoze their way to a pro-business settlement isn’t just an attack on postal workers. It’s an attack on the entire working class, and a clear testing ground for the ruling class to experiment with new tactics for repressing the workers’ movement. As EVWA argued in December when the government broke CUPW’s strike using Section 107 of the Canadian Labour Code, “The government is once again exposing the myth of ‘labour peace’ for what it really means: one-sided war on the working class.” 

This means that workers cannot afford to put our hope in the labour board, politicians, or even “leaders” in our own ranks who preach patience and staying the course. What is needed to meet such a hostile enemy is a militant, combative workers’ movement able to unite our class around a common strategy and vision for economic and political power. We need to grow our unions by organizing the unorganized and strengthen them through democratic rank-and-file leadership. And when one union is feeling the heat, we need the whole movement behind them so they can fight without fear – even and especially when that means striking in defiance of a repressive status quo meant to strip workers of our most important weapon, the ability to shut down production. 

CUPW’s NO VOTE is just the beginning. Organize and rally around the posties to launch the next phase of their fight for a stronger contract, worker power on the job, and truly public services for all!