OTTAWA, ON—This morning (Monday, June 27) Canada Post released a statement explaining that while negotiations with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) continues, a legal work disruption can happen, as early as July 2, 2016.

With July 2 quickly approaching, the question becomes, how will this disruption affect printers and direct marketing providers?
 
If the strike occurs Canada Post will stop operating, mail and parcels will not be delivered and no new mail items will be accepted. Mail within the postal system during the disruption will be secured and delivered as soon as operations begin.

A strike would definitely have an impact on printers who rely on Canada Post to keep business moving.

At Digital Edge, a Mississauga-based full service-in house printer and lettershop, 70 percent of their business is mail.

“We’re looking forward to using the time to implement some new systems here, some new software, and possibly take some vacation time,” Digital Edge's direct marketing and mail specialist Crystal Farmer, told PrintCAN.

Whereas TC Media’s publishing branch would see little impact, the same can’t be said for its printing division.

“On the printing side (TC Transcontinental Printing), some of our printing segments such as direct mail and magazines could be impacted depending on our customers’ decisions,” Katherine Chartrand, external communications director at TC Media explained to PrintCAN.  “The impact is difficult to assess at this point in time since it will depend on the type of strike, the impacted areas (rural regions or urban centers) and the length of the strike.”

While Torpedo Marketing, a Vaughan, ON-based direct marketing provider would be affected by a strike, the company conducts other bindery services and online communications, including, design and promo, so they have other means of revenue besides the direct mail revenue to keep busy. The company also does quite a bit of USPS work, which will remain unaffected.

“We have been extremely busy as many of our customers have wanted to induct their mailings prior to the strike, others have asked us to complete the mailings and hold onto them until Canada Post accepts inductions again and only a couple have cancelled their plans,” Torpedo Marketing president, Susan Robinson said. "All of our contracts want us to continue to print and process until CPC open for inductions, then induct all at once.  It is early days and most of our clients want us to continue to do what we do and have planned for a positive outcome – no strike or a short-lived one.  All of our parcel fulfillment will go to alternative carriers that we were already using but as a second option to Canada Post.”
 
“If the strike continues for any length of time we will have to adjust our labour to accommodate any decrease in work but currently we are somewhat unaffected as we are diverse enough in our services to cover a decline in Canadian mail,” she told PrintCAN. “I am glad that most of our clients are planning to continue with the processing of their mailings and asking us to induct when possible.  I’m sure if the strike goes on for any length of time, they may reconsider but for now, we are working away and will adjust as needed when the time comes.”

Canada Post began contract negotiations at the end of 2015.

“We have been trying to communicate with the customers and the public since early April—not that something will happen—but we just want to make sure they’re prepared accordingly in the event that something does,” Mouktar Abdillahi, Canada Post spokesperson said. “After July 2, we cannot promise that deliveries will continue. We are continuing keep customers informed throughout the process. Our goal remains to get a deal done that is fair to employees, affordable to the corporation and that responds to customers.”

Customers need to mail out any timely items by the following dates, in order for them to be delivered before the potential strike:

Visit the Canada Post website for detailed information on the table offers and negotiations timeline.