Publishers surprised about Canada Post restrictions on half-wrap covers

Canada Post -- citing "health and safety" concerns -- will be limiting half-wrap covers on magazines. They will only be allowed on the front (see a typical newsstand copy of The Walrus) if the back cover is a full page size. Until now, magazines have been able to have half-wraps or half-overcovers front and back. It's not clear what the safety issue might be (paper cuts?). Although it was

Canada Post Group reports major drop in earnings

Magazine publishers won't be surprised, but will continue to be concerned, that Canada Post saw pre-tax earnings in 2010 decline by 27% to $233 million, according to its annual report, tabled Wednesday in the House of Commons. It saw its main lettermail business decrease by 4.5%, the fourth consecutive year-over-year drop. Total volume for the Canada Post division (including mail, parcels and

Postal back-to-work relieves publishers, but they need to be resolute about alternative delivery

With the resumption of mail service tomorrow as the result of an imposed back-to-work order by Parliament, many publishers will be happy that their subscription copies can now be delivered again. But the industry simply can't settle back with a sigh of relief. Even as it welcomes the imposed settlement through 2015, it needs to look at alternatives for delivery. (It saddens me to say so because,

Magazines Canada doesn't speak for us on postal back-to-work bill: indy publishers

A group of independent magazine publishers are unhappy with Magazines Canada speaking for them on the matter of back-to-work legislation for postal workers. As an extension of a week of lobbying with the federal government, this week Magazines Canada president Mark Jamison wrote a letter to labour minister Lisa Raitt commending the government for its intent of legislating an end to the dispute at

Magazines facing a severe impact with postal dispute, says Magazines Canada

Magazines Canada has written a letter (oh, irony) to Lisa Raitt, the federal labour minister responsible for Canada Post, in which it asks for intervention in the lockout and strike as early as possible. President Mark Jamison said the labour and management actions over the past 12 days have had "no discernible impact on negotiations". The shutdown announced today will stop the delivery of

Postal union gives 72-hour notice of possible walkout; mail might not be delivered starting Friday

 Video statement by CUPW president Dennis Lemelin
The required 72 hours notice has been given by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) for strike action against Canada Post Corporation, which could mean that mail will not be delivered starting on Friday morning. The triggering of strike notice required by federal labour law does not necessarily mean that there will be a postal walkout,

Postal disruption may come at first of the week -- or not

Negotiations are likely to go on through the weekend between Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, but if they fail, mail service for magazines (and everything else) could be disrupted Monday or Tuesday by a strike or a lockout. It seemed likely that by end of day Friday, CUPW would give the required 72 hours notice for a strike, which could see a strike begin Monday

Mail disruption possibility pushed back as negotiations come to the crunch

[This post has been updated] The earliest there can be a mail strike or lockout, given required 72-hour notice, would be this weekend (more likely Monday) but the likelihood increased only a bit with the rejection Tuesday by Canada Post Corporation of the latest contract proposal from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). Neither side has chosen to give the required notice, which is a

Hanging in with hope for settlement in the postal labour-management negotations

Magazine publishers large and small have every reason to feel nervous about the 11th hour negotiations between Canada Post Corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). Next Wednesday (May 25) is the day on which either CPC will lock out its employees or CUPW will go on strike; either way, distribution of subscription copies and vital direct mail campaign materials will be

Postal talks coming down to the wire; earliest labour action could be May 25

While talks are continuing between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), the union has announced a press conference tomorrow morning to talk about strike action. The earliest date that CUPW could go on strike -- in which case letters, parcels and magazines won't be delivered -- is May 25th.Canada Post has created a dedicated website to update the public by posts, e-mail or

Postal workers union files for conciliation in negotiations with Canada Post

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) has filed for conciliation in its negotiations with the government of Canada. According to a statement from Canada Post, A conciliator, once appointed under the provisions of the Canada Labour Code, meets with both side and attempts to reconcile issues at the bargaining table. The conciliation process can take a maximum of 60 days, after which either

Canada Post names new president and CEO

Canada Post Corporation has announced the appointment of Deepak Chopra as its president and CEO at what it says is a critical time in the company's history. Chopra previously held a similar position with mailing machine giant Pitney Bowes Canada after serving in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions.Board chair Mark Courtois (who made the announcement jointly with Rob Merrifield, Minister

Fox publication mail analysis shows decline of 51 million copies mailed in 2009

Every year, Michael J. Fox, the senior vice-president, circulation and development, for Rogers Publishing, publishes a detailed analysis of Canada Post's financial results and the situation with Publications Mail. It was published on the Magazines Canada  website.  This year, he reports (not surprisingly) that in the year of recession, 2009, 51 million copies were not mailed, a decrease of 9.7%

Give responsibilty -- and money -- for small mags to the Canada Council, Mags Canada says

The federal government is being urged by Magazines Canada to transfer responsibility and the approximately $620,000 funding envelope that affects small cultural magazines distributing fewer than 5,000 paid copies annually to the Canada Council for the Arts.In its pre-budget submission to be released today (Monday), Magazines Canada says that while it supports the new Canada Periodical Fund (CPF),

"Completely unjustified" magazine mailing costs to increase 3% next January

Canada Post is going to raise Publications Mail rates 3% on January 1, 2010, a hike that Magazines Canada says is "completely unjustified". The magazine association has said in a bulletin to its members:While CPC expressed its sensitivity to the economic downturn and understands the need to attenuate rate increases while the economy recovers, a weighted rate increase of close to three per cent

Cost of mailing a magazine up 38% in 6 years

The cost of mailing the average magazine in Canada has increased 38% in six years, according to the annual analysis and report for the year 2008, prepared for Rogers Publishing by Michael J. Fox, the senior vice-president, circulation and development. Fox, who is acknowledged to be one of Canada's leading experts on postal matters, prepares his analysis every year after Canada Post Corporation

Panel says Canada Post shouldn't subsidize magazines

A preliminary scan of the final report of the strategic review panel looking into Canada Post reveals two recommendations that bear on Canadian magazines:With respect to the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), the Advisory Panel understands that the current obligation placed upon Canada Post to contribute to the PAP subsidy for publications mailings expires in March 2009 (Canada Post’s PAP

US postal service has a direct mail sale

Faced with a big gap in its mail stream in the first quarter of 2009, the US Postal Service (USPS) is doing the natural and sensible thing: it's having a summer sale. Canadian magazine publishers who do high volumes of direct mail solicitations for subscriptions would be hard-pressed to imagine Canada Post doing something so innovative.According to an interview in the website Target Marketing:

US postal service ups periodicals rates 4%

As expected, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced rate increase for periodicals of 4% -- actually 3.976% -- starting May 11. According to a report in Folio:, while the rate is tied to the consumer price index, currently 3.8%, USPS is charging slightly more because it didn't use all of its allowable rate increase in 2008.In Canada, Canad Post is implementing a "distance-related