Shared Health making preparations for patient notifications ahead of possible Canada Post work stoppage

Manitoba's health system is preparing for a potential Canada Post service disruption by making adjustments to patient notifications, Shared Health says.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said in a statement early Tuesday that its executive board was giving the required 72-hours notice for both its rural and urban mail carrier bargaining units, meaning the workers will be in a legal strike position as of Friday.

Shared Health says in anticipation of that possible labour disruption, appointment letters and pre-appointment information for Manitoba patients that are usually sent by mail are being temporarily paused at clinics and health-care service areas. Patients will instead be contacted by phone or email prior to their appointments, Shared Health said in a Wednesday news release.

Text messages — with a Manitoba 431 area code —may also be used to get in touch with patients at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre and the Boundary Trails Health Centre, located between Morden and Winkler, the provincial health agency said.

Those messages will not include any patient information, only identifying the facility, date and time of the appointment, the release says.

There will also be no requests for a patient's financial information by phone or email, Shared Health said.

Confirmation letters for appointments scheduled beyond Feb. 1, 2025, are being temporarily held. If a postal service disruption continues, patients with appointments in February and beyond will receive their appointment confirmation by text or phone.

Shared Health is anticipating clinics will experience a high volume of calls if there is a work stoppage at Canada Post.

More information can be found through Shared Health's website.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said in a Tuesday statement it hasn't decided if a job action will take place immediately, saying it "will depend on Canada Post's actions at the bargaining table in the days to come."

A spokesperson for Canada Post said the corporation has no intention of ceasing its operations, and "is using the means under this section of the Canada Labour Code to adjust operations based on its operational realities and business needs."

Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon told CBC News on Tuesday that the government is offering "mediation support" in the talks.

"We will make every effort possible to keep them at the table and keep them talking, and we hope to achieve a negotiated settlement there," the minister said.