Fix the arguments. Enough with uneducated, emotional nonsense
I know you’re going to love this, but I’m sick of seeing so many illogical, uninformed, and irrelevant arguments about the Canada Post strike.
Members of my household work for Canada Post and are on strike. I get it—but if you're going to argue, at least make your points logical.
Let’s look at the facts:
Average Canadian Earnings vs. Minimum Wage vs. Canada Post Wages: 1988: $11.74 (avg), $4.75 (min), $18 (Canada Post) 2004: $25 (avg), $7.15 (min), $25 (Canada Post) 2024: $34.26 (avg), $17.20 (min), $30 (Canada Post) When you restrict the 2024 average earnings to individuals with only a high school diploma (no post-secondary education), the average wage drops to $14.52/hour. That’s less than half of what a Canada Post letter carrier earns today.
(Ps. UPS drivers start at $17.30/hr and only get $35 after 48 months of work. Just looked up a posting in London Ont.)
Education Trends: In 1988, approximately 40% of jobs required post-secondary education. In 2024, approximately 75% of jobs require post-secondary education. Canada Post jobs do not require post-secondary education.
The Demands: You’re asking for a ~25% wage increase, which would bring the hourly wage to $37.50/hour.
Now consider this:
That’s over 2x the average Canadian wage, many of whom have years more education requirements than you. It’s also 3x the average wage of Canadians with the same education requirements as your role.
The Strike: You’ve been off work for almost four weeks—that’s nearly $5,000 in lost income. Even if you win the 25% wage increase, spread over four years, that’s only a $2/hour raise at best. Sure, you may get it backdated for this year, but with an average of 2,087 working hours per year, the backdated raise amounts to a cheque of $4,174. You’re barely breaking even.
Conclusion: If you want to make a case for higher wages, focus on meaningful, informed arguments rather than emotional appeals or outdated comparisons. The world has changed—so should the rationale. Asking for significantly higher pay without considering broader market realities or the value of jobs with similar requirements doesn’t strengthen your cause. Be realistic and logical if you want widespread support.
Besides, everyone is free to look for another job if they don’t like what they are currently doing.
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TL;DR: Canada Post workers earn $30/hour in 2024—over twice the wage of the average Canadian with a high school education and more than many roles requiring post-secondary education. Asking for a 25% raise would bring wages to $37.50/hour. After 4 weeks of strike-related losses, backdated raises won’t recoup much. Use logical arguments to advocate for fair pay instead of emotion-driven claims.
I know you’re going to love this, but I’m sick of seeing so many illogical, uninformed, and irrelevant arguments about the Canada Post strike.
Members of my household work for Canada Post and are on strike. I get it—but if you're going to argue, at least make your points logical.
Let’s look at the facts:
Average Canadian Earnings vs. Minimum Wage vs. Canada Post Wages: 1988: $11.74 (avg), $4.75 (min), $18 (Canada Post) 2004: $25 (avg), $7.15 (min), $25 (Canada Post) 2024: $34.26 (avg), $17.20 (min), $30 (Canada Post) When you restrict the 2024 average earnings to individuals with only a high school diploma (no post-secondary education), the average wage drops to $14.52/hour. That’s less than half of what a Canada Post letter carrier earns today.
(Ps. UPS drivers start at $17.30/hr and only get $35 after 48 months of work. Just looked up a posting in London Ont.)
Education Trends: In 1988, approximately 40% of jobs required post-secondary education. In 2024, approximately 75% of jobs require post-secondary education. Canada Post jobs do not require post-secondary education.
The Demands: You’re asking for a ~25% wage increase, which would bring the hourly wage to $37.50/hour.
Now consider this:
That’s over 2x the average Canadian wage, many of whom have years more education requirements than you. It’s also 3x the average wage of Canadians with the same education requirements as your role.
The Strike: You’ve been off work for almost four weeks—that’s nearly $5,000 in lost income. Even if you win the 25% wage increase, spread over four years, that’s only a $2/hour raise at best. Sure, you may get it backdated for this year, but with an average of 2,087 working hours per year, the backdated raise amounts to a cheque of $4,174. You’re barely breaking even.
Conclusion: If you want to make a case for higher wages, focus on meaningful, informed arguments rather than emotional appeals or outdated comparisons. The world has changed—so should the rationale. Asking for significantly higher pay without considering broader market realities or the value of jobs with similar requirements doesn’t strengthen your cause. Be realistic and logical if you want widespread support.
Besides, everyone is free to look for another job if they don’t like what they are currently doing.
—————————————————
TL;DR: Canada Post workers earn $30/hour in 2024—over twice the wage of the average Canadian with a high school education and more than many roles requiring post-secondary education. Asking for a 25% raise would bring wages to $37.50/hour. After 4 weeks of strike-related losses, backdated raises won’t recoup much. Use logical arguments to advocate for fair pay instead of emotion-driven claims.