December 9th, 2024

The Vancouver Tenants Union is in solidarity with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) striking against Canada Post for the past three weeks.

Housing security and affordability are inseparable from job security and just labour practices. Capitalism thrives on colonial pursuits including the genocides of Indigenous peoples to clear their lands, the commodification and privatization of lands and housing, and the creation of class structures to exploit workers and devalue lives globally. Pressuring workers to accept stagnant wages and inadequate benefits while living costs soar ensures wealth accumulation for politicians, company executives, and landlords—a hallmark of the capitalist playbook.

CUPW workers are tenants too. Canada Post’s greed and exploitation lead to impossible choices between rent, medical care, food, or other necessities. We must continue to support CUPW’s fight for wage increases, better benefits, and safeguards against harassment and overwork. CUPW workers are also integral community members whom many tenants rely on for delivery of important documents, medication, cheques, and packages, and the wellbeing of CUPW workers is connected to our community care infrastructures.

When workers win, tenants win. The Vancouver Tenants Union urges all tenants to support CUPW workers. Let’s fight for secure housing and dignified labour as we move towards dismantling these colonial, oppressive, capitalist structures.

In Solidarity,
Vancouver Tenants Union