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They may trudge through snow, sleet and rain, but postal workers will not endure every obstacle so that citizens receive their mail. The nation-wide services undergo strikes and walkouts that can slow the delivery of letters and packages, sometimes forcing the entire system to come to a standstill. Find out what types of trouble can impact your deliveries and why a courier broker is the best solution.

Workers Strikes

Starting October 22^nd, 2018, Canada Post workers began their plan of rotating strikes and walkouts to push the organization to agree to the union’s contract demands. Business owners and citizens were concerned about backlogged shipments and late deliveries as the winter holidays drew closer. The tension around the situation grew so thick that the Senate passed back-to-work legislation ordering an end to the postal workers strike only five weeks after it started.

The walkouts affected the distribution hubs and sorting centers, leading to a 30-day backlog and an official suspension of delivery guarantees for parcels and letter mail. While the strike is over, for now, it’s very likely that the organization will see disruption in the near future.

Price Hikes

Canada Post generates a considerable amount of revenue from postage stamps. Since the organization is struggling financially to accommodate pay-equity disputes and losses from the workers strike, they recently raised the price of stamps. E-commerce businesses are expected to pay an extra $14.00 a year on stamps because of this simple increase. So far, only businesses sending domestic letter mail and items are affected, but the organization has discussed the possibility of increasing rates for items sent to the United States.

In the same vein, the U.S Postal Services depend on postage stamps for revenue and have recently raised 2019 postage prices and shipping costs. It’s easy to understand the reasoning behind the hikes when you read their most recent financial report, where they received a net loss of $1.5 billion in the first quarter of 2019 fiscal. Even though the package business contributed to $553 million in revenue growth, their other losses in revenue forced them to raise costs.

The Solution

When postal services are unstable because of strikes and worker unrest, businesses will lose out on sales. Instead of dealing with late deliveries and unhappy customers, owners can turn to netParcel to provide a long list of shipping alternatives so that the products get delivered right away.

Using a reliable courier broker helps you find the best deals for the job, whether you’re looking for economy international shipping services or a package delivery to the next province over. Canadian businesses can find the cheapest international shipping from Canada and affordable rates for domestic deliveries. American businesses can find the cheapest shipping options from the USA for deliveries across the states, across the Canadian border or to international locations.

A courier broker gives you a variety of options so your business won’t get bogged down when there’s a strike or shutdown. It also gives you more financial control of your situation, letting you find the most affordable and effective way to get your parcels delivered. When trouble arises with national postal services, you will appreciate having a greater selection of shipping options on hand.