OTTAWA—  Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have been negotiating since November 2023 to reach new collective agreements. CUPW filed notices of dispute with the federal Minister of Labour, asking for conciliators to help the parties reach new collective agreements. While this official step represents an impasse in negotiations, it provides an extended timeline for the parties to continue negotiating with the help of a neutral conciliator. Under the Canada Labour Code, a labour disruption cannot happen for at least three months. Once a conciliator is appointed, the parties enter a conciliation period typically lasting at least 60 days. The conciliation period can be extended if the parties agree.After the conciliation period, if there is still no agreement, a 21-day cooling-off period follows. Only after the cooling-off period would either party be in a position to initiate a labour disruption (72-hour advance notice must first be given). It is estimated that about  60% to 70% of every thing that is printed goes through the mail. A larger percent of Canada Post volume is direct mail with a continual shrinking volume of letter mail.