A day after Canada Post employees were ordered back to work, the Crown corporation is assuring Canadians letters to Santa will be “handled with special care” and mailed out to the North Pole as usual.
Unlike in typical years, however, “Santa won’t have time to respond to letters” this time around, Canada Post says.
“As Canada Post reopened its facilities yesterday, the process of safely ramping up operations has begun. Please know that it will take time to stabilize our operations; however, like always, letters to Santa are handled with special care,” said the Crown corporation in a statement.
The Write a Letter to Santa program has been running for over 40 years, however it looked like it might not happen this year after more than 55,000 Canada Post employees walked off the job on Nov. 15 as the Canadian Union of Postal Workers looked to increase wages, pensions and improve their health benefits.
Canada Post cancelled its letters to Santa deadline at the beginning of the month amid uncertainty as to how long the strike would last. The postal service will now be accepting letters to Santa mailed by Dec. 23.
“The scanners in our plants are set up to locate Santa letters, which are identified by the H0H 0H0 postal code. This allows us to deliver these letters straight to the North Pole. We will be doing this for all Santa letters mailed by December 23,” the statement continued.
“Although Santa won’t have time to respond to letters received through the mail this year, we want to let children know that their letters will make it to him by Christmas Eve. Santa is looking forward to reading all the letters he receives,” reads the statement.
Some Canadians weren’t spurred into the holiday spirit by the news, however, expressing frustrations at the union’s choice of timing to go on strike.
“I understand that workers have the right to strike, but Canada Post workers picked the busiest time of the year to go on strike. They have no heart at all, there are a lot of children who look forward to receiving a letter from Santa and this year (they won’t) due to the strike,” wrote one user.
“Considering Santa doesn’t really exist and letters addressed to him will almost certainly end up being pulped unopened, it’s a harmless press release,” wrote another.
One user wrote that Canada Post, “better start treating their workers better because there’s no way the strike is letting all those kids’ letters get to santa.”
The Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered Canada Post employees back to work on Monday after determining that negotiations between the Crown corporation and the federal government had reached an “impasse.”
“After two days of hearings, the CIRB has issued its ruling confirming the parties are at an impasse,” wrote the Crown corporation in a statement released Sunday.
Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon requested the CIRB implement the order, which included an extension of the current collective agreements.
“We are so privileged to be able to connect children and Santa over the holidays through our Santa letter program. We wish everyone from coast to coast to coast a merry and joyous Christmas,” reads the Canada Post statement.