The health and safety of postal workers are being overlooked in the ongoing labour dispute with Canada Post, says the president of a New Brunswick union local.

“Health and safety, as you’ve seen on the news, never comes up,” said Shawn Oldenburg, president of Local 054 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), which represents postal employees in the Fredericton-Oromocto area.

Oldenburg made the comments just hours before industrial action was expected to begin across the country.

Overnight, CUPW’s national executive board announced a nationwide overtime ban—a form of strike action that avoids a full work stoppage or rotating walkouts but still applies pressure on the employer. The union stated that the refusal to work overtime is intended to minimize public disruption and prevent members from losing pay.

Canada Post responded by warning customers they may still experience delays or service disruptions.

CUPW cautioned that job action could escalate if Canada Post makes unilateral changes to working conditions, suspends benefits, or initiates layoffs. The union is currently in a legal strike position, though a formal work stoppage has not been announced.

The dispute remains unresolved months after the federal government ordered striking postal workers back on the job and launched an industrial inquiry commission in December to examine the long-standing issues between the two parties.

Focus on Finances, Not Frontline Issues

Media coverage of the dispute has largely focused on Canada Post’s precarious financial situation. The Crown corporation operates independently of taxpayer funding, relying on revenue from its products and services. Earlier this year, the federal government stepped in with a $1 billion repayable loan to help stave off insolvency amid mounting losses.

But Oldenburg argues that in the rush to focus on balance sheets, critical frontline issues like worker health and safety are being ignored.

'Separate Sort and Delivery' Raises Red Flags

Oldenburg, who has been a letter carrier for over 30 years, pointed to the rollout of a system called “separate sort and delivery” as a key concern.

Under this system, the traditional model where carriers sort mail indoors before heading out on their delivery routes has been split into two distinct jobs. Sorting is done by separate staff, and delivery workers now spend the entire day outdoors, covering longer routes and handling more mail.

Union leaders argue the change increases physical strain, reduces time for recovery, and exposes workers to harsh weather conditions for longer periods.

“It means we’re on our feet longer, walking further, and carrying more,” Oldenburg said. “We used to have three points of contact—two feet and an arm—when climbing stairs. But now, with mail in both hands, you’ve lost that third point of balance. It’s a real safety issue.”

Concerns Over Commissioner’s Recommendations

Oldenburg also pushed back against the recent report by Industrial Inquiry Commissioner William Kaplan, who was appointed by the federal government to investigate the labour impasse.

The report criticized aspects of the collective agreement that restrict Canada Post’s ability to assign additional tasks to workers who complete their routes early—a practice Kaplan referred to as “trapped time.”

Oldenburg called that characterization misleading.

“It’s rare that someone finishes early,” he said. “But what this could lead to is management assigning us extra delivery routes we’re not familiar with, which not only increases the risk of injury but could also lead to job losses if fewer workers are needed to complete the same amount of work.”

Kaplan’s report went further, recommending significant structural changes: phasing out daily door-to-door letter delivery, lifting the moratorium on rural post office closures, and resuming community mailbox conversions.

It also called for hiring more part-time workers, particularly for tasks like weekend parcel delivery, but emphasized that these should be quality union jobs, not precarious gig work.

“Employers need to hire part-time employees as well, and some people are interested in only part-time employment,” the report said.

Oldenburg questioned that assumption. “I don’t know anyone who’s actively looking for a part-time job to support their family, buy a home, or start their life,” he said. “People want good, stable work. This idea that folks are lining up for part-time jobs doesn’t reflect the reality we see on the ground.”

As the situation continues to unfold, Oldenburg hopes public attention will shift toward the workers’ lived experiences, not just Canada Post’s financial forecasts.

David Gordon Koch is a journalist with the NB Media Co-op. This reporting has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, administered by the Canadian Association of Community Television Stations and Users (CACTUS).