Postal workers across the country could be off the job starting Friday if there91裸聊视频檚 no breakthrough in contract negotiations with Canada Post 91裸聊视频� a disruption that would come just ahead of the busy Christmas holiday season.

The Crown corporation issued a lockout notice on Tuesday, after mail carriers handed their employer a 72-hour strike notice.

If negotiated settlements are not reached by the deadline, workers will be in legal strike position Friday morning, according to the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.

But the union said its national executive board has yet to decide if job action will happen, saying that will depend on Canada Post91裸聊视频檚 actions at the bargaining table in the coming days.

91裸聊视频淎fter almost a year of bargaining, despite our best efforts, the parties remain far apart on many issues,91裸聊视频� the union said in statement.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the federal government is urging both sides to negotiate a settlement ahead of the looming deadline.

91裸聊视频淲e are hoping to achieve a deal at the table,91裸聊视频� he said at a Tuesday news conference. 91裸聊视频淲e will make every effort possible to keep them at the table and keep them talking, and we hope to achieve a negotiated settlement there.91裸聊视频�

He made the comments as his government ordered the Canada Industrial Relations Board to step in to end a protracted labour dispute that91裸聊视频檚 locked up cargo shipments at ports in Vancouver and Montreal.

NDP labour critic Matthew Green said he91裸聊视频檚 concerned Ottawa could eventually do the same to Canada Post workers, a 91裸聊视频渨easel way out91裸聊视频� of solving labour issues without having to vote on them in Parliament.

91裸聊视频淐UPW has been trying to negotiate for a year. I think it91裸聊视频檚 well within their rights to try to negotiate their wages.91裸聊视频�

He also said there is 91裸聊视频渘o scenario91裸聊视频� where his party would ever support back-to-work legislation 91裸聊视频� whether that could cause an election or not.

Legislating an end to a potential postal strike is an unlikely option, since the House of Commons is gridlocked by an ongoing procedural row between the Liberals and Conservatives that has sidelined the government91裸聊视频檚 legislative agenda.

A rotating postal strike this time of year in 2018 resulted in the Trudeau Liberals passing back-to-work legislation through Parliament to resolve the dispute within a matter of days 91裸聊视频� a move the NDP voted against.

At that time, the Liberals had a majority government. Now, they face an unstable minority and the wrong move could send the country barrelling toward an early election.

Mark Thompson, professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 Sauder School of Business, said it seems unlikely the government will want to intervene, and it91裸聊视频檚 a 91裸聊视频渓ittle bit too early to tell91裸聊视频� if this could head to the labour board for resolution like the port disputes.

91裸聊视频淭hey haven91裸聊视频檛 walked away from bargaining and they haven91裸聊视频檛 made a lot of threats,91裸聊视频� he said, adding both sides are only firing off 91裸聊视频渨arning shots91裸聊视频� at the moment.

The strike notice covers both the union91裸聊视频檚 urban bargaining unit and its rural and suburban unit.

Canada Post spokesman John Hamilton said despite the lockout notice, the organization doesn91裸聊视频檛 intend to lock out its employees.

Instead, he said the notice means that as of Friday, the two collective agreements will no longer be in effect.

91裸聊视频淭hen we can make changes to our operations to align our delivery and align our operations 91裸聊视频� and respond to the impact that the strike has had on our business,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淚n order to do that, you have to file that notice.91裸聊视频�

Canada Post91裸聊视频檚 latest contract offer included annual wage increases that amounted to 11.5 per cent over four years. It also offered protection of the defined benefit pension for current employees, as well as job security and health benefits.

The union has rejected the proposal. It announced last month its members had voted overwhelmingly to support a strike if a deal could not be reached.

Canada Post said if the union initiates rotating-strike activity, it intends to continue delivering while working to reach negotiated agreements.

91裸聊视频淗owever, the ongoing possibility of a labour disruption has been significantly eroding Canada Post91裸聊视频檚 volumes and escalating the negative financial impact on the company,91裸聊视频� it said in a news release, adding this is normally the busiest time of year.

Thompson said the union knows this season is 91裸聊视频渨hen they have the most bargaining power91裸聊视频� and said the employer offer seems a little 91裸聊视频渢hin91裸聊视频� to him from the workers91裸聊视频� perspective.

Pascal Chan, a senior director at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said a work stoppage would have a 91裸聊视频渃onsiderable impact on millions of Canadians and businesses relying on our postal services.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t would add another layer of disruption to supply chains already struggling with the shutdowns of our largest East and West Coast ports,91裸聊视频� Chan said.

Canada Post said it91裸聊视频檚 agreed with the union to continue delivering socio-economic cheques in the event of a strike so that Canadians still receive government financial assistance, although the federal government is encouraging Canadians to sign up for direct deposit in case of a mail service disruption.

Canada Post has been struggling for years amid a shifting parcel-delivery market and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the organization91裸聊视频檚 annual general meeting in August, it said its financial situation is unsustainable and that significant change is required to preserve its delivery network.