Canada Post Strike Alert! Are you prepared? You can be.

Canada Post and CUPW Negotiations Update: Full Strike Announced

As of 12:01 am on November 15, 55,000 Canada Post workers have officially gone on strike. This development follows ongoing negotiations between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post, which had previously issued a 72-hour strike notice. The strike includes both urban and rural bargaining units, potentially causing significant disruptions—especially during this critical holiday fundraising season.

We understand the pressure this places on non-profits and businesses that rely on direct mail to reach donors and customers. While efforts continue to resolve the situation, rotating strikes or back-to-work legislation may be considered in the coming days.

We remain committed to keeping you informed and are here to support your digital fundraising needs with email campaigns, website updates, and other online strategies during this challenging time.

Please read on for more.

For some non-profit organizations, as much as 75% of their annual revenue comes in the last quarter of the calendar year. That revenue cannot be at risk. We must be prepared.

Here are ST’s Five Top Tips for maintaining your fundraising through a postal strike:

1. Include an informational insert in all mailings
   • Encourage donors to give online or by phone.
   • Remind donors that they can still use the mail to give. All mail will eventually reach its destination – especially if it’s a rotating strike.
2. Use SMS to connect with your donors
   • Donors are getting increasingly comfortable sending and receiving text.
   • Include a link to your donation page in your text messages
3. Enhance your email solicitation
   • Email more frequently.
   • Include information about the postal strike.
   • Tell donors why it’s important they give, and if it’s truly urgent, say so.
4. Update your homepage
   • Include a pop-up with information.
   • Encourage gifts online or by phone.
   • Ensure your phones are being answered and ensure a smooth online donor experience. And, right this minute, call your organization, and make a test gift online. There’s nothing as revealing as checking the donor experience first-hand.
5. As always, be sure to keep calm and fundraise on

Lastly, it’s worth noting that we have weathered CPC strikes many times in the past, including as recently as 2018. At that time, CUPW challenged the use of back to work (BTW) legislation in court. The courts determined that BTW legislation was indeed appropriate, at least in the run up to the holiday season. If there is a strike, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that our “posties” will be forced back to work.

Want to dive deeper into Digital Fundraising?

If the looming postal strike has you wanting to dive deeper into your digital fundraising strategy, check out Philip King’s PRO TIPS | 5 Ways to Accelerate Your Digital Fundraising Now – Information, research and resources for fundraisers and their leaders (hilborn-charityenews.ca). Philip is Managing Director of STella!, ST’s digital fundraising division.

You can also call or drop me a line. I love speaking with fellow fundraisers.