The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) strike is expected to end this week with federal back-to-work legislation. Some workers are likely happy about getting back to work, but the strike is a reminder to Canadians of unionized public employee power in the country, and the ability to bring the entire mail system to a standstill. As it turns out, Canada Post has a rather weighty bargaining chip too, one no one would have expected in times past. And that chip is the Internet.
The Internet has changed the way business in Canada is conducted. From the small independent service providers to the large corporate retailer, the Internet has cut into Canada Post’s pockets significantly over the years as more and more people shop, pay bills and conduct business online. One has to wonder 10, 20, 50 years down the line what the demand for a publicly-owned postal system will be.
Certainly though, the Internet is not going anywhere, nor the upward trend of users from a young age through to seniors. Canada Post as it exists today is not needed in the capacity it once was relied upon.
The strike has prompted businesses and individuals, who otherwise would not have bothered, to seek out alternative means of conducting business. Canada Post estimated its losses due to the strike at $100 million by last week before locking workers out, but if a significant amount of people took the plunge to go online with day to day business, Canada Post and CUPW stand to lose a lot more in the long-term, permanently.
The long-term outcome of the strike and subsequent back-to-work legislation is unknown, but the disruptive effect of a publicly owned institution holding cheques, bills and mail as hostage has been noticeably lessened from a time when every bill or cheque came through the mail. Workers deserve good jobs and the public good service, and whether Canada Post can continue to deliver the goods may be determined by the long-term outcome of the strike.
