DHL suspends operations across Canada amid heated contract dispute
Who’s Involved?
- DHL Express Canada – that’s the delivery company that brings your packages.
- Unifor – the union representing about 2,100 DHL workers (drivers, warehouse folks, owner‑operators).
What Happened?
- On June 8, DHL locked out workers because contract talks with Unifor hit a deadlock—they couldn’t agree on a new deal
- The union was demanding big raises—22 % for hourly staff and 42 % for owner‑operators. DHL counter‑offered with 15 % over five years
Why Did DHL Stop Deliveries?
- Canada passed Bill C‑58, a new law that bans using replacement (“scab”) workers during a labour dispute. It came into full force on June 20.
- This meant DHL could no longer bypass striking workers—so they had to suspend operations.
- They stopped accepting international shipments at 9 p.m. ET on the Tuesday before (that’s around June 17) and halted all parcel deliveries starting midnight on Friday, June 20.
What It Means for People
- If you were expecting a DHL package this week, it’s likely sitting in a warehouse somewhere, waiting until service resumes .
- Businesses relying on DHL—like e‑commerce sellers—are scrambling to find alternatives or reroute shipments through other carriers (like the U.S. DHL network).
- And Canada Post is also having labour headaches (an overtime ban), so it’s a busy time for all delivery companies.
5. How Did We Get Here?
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Dec 31, 2024 | Old DHL‑Unifor contract expired |
| June 8, 2025 | DHL locked out workers / Unifor struck |
| June 16–17 | DHL announced import embargo starting ~9 p.m. ET |
| June 20 | New law (Bill C‑58) kicks in—no more replacement workers allowed |
| Midnight June 20 | DHL suspend all parcel operations in Canada |