Mail Delays, Liquor Lines & AI Hires: The New Job Market Reality

In this episode: union negotiations, Amazon hiring for the holiday season, older workers consider botox and plastic surgery to combat ageism, job seekers in Canad accept roles below their qualifications in this tough labour market, and other topics.

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1. In September, Canada’s labour market showed signs of resilience as employment rose by about 60,000 jobs | September Labour Force Survey: Avoiding the Worst - Indeed Hiring Lab Canada 
2. After more than two weeks of a nationwide strike, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers switched to rotating strikes, small businesses are not happy | Canada Post: How rotating strikes could help small business;  Mail delivery to resume as Canada Post union moving to rotating strikes Saturday
3. As the BC Liquor and Cannabis strike enters its 6th week, tensions continue to rise across British Columbia. Restaurants Canada has issued a statement expressing deep concern over the prolonged disruption | Restaurants Canada statement on BC Liquor strike entering sixth week - Restaurants Canada MEDIA RELEASE: All remaining BC Liquor & Cannabis Stores, all Service BC workers, and Ministry of Labour join the picket lines - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) 
4. The Manitoba government has announced more than $600,000 in new funding to support training and wellness initiatives for Child and Family Services workers | Province of Manitoba | News Releases | Manitoba Government Invests in Training for Child and Family Service Workers 
5. A new report reveals that Canadian freelancers’ average hourly rates have jumped 45% over four years, now at roughly $56 per hour | Canadian Freelancers' Hourly Rates Up 45% in Four Years as 93% Embrace AI 
6. Robert Half report shows that specialized skills and certifications are becoming major levers for higher pay | Specialized skills drive higher compensation: 54% of managers are most willing to increase salaries for candidates with specialized skills or certifications - Sep 29, 2025 
7. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how organizations recruit, becoming almost a “hiring gate” rather than just a tool. Companies require justification that a role can’t be automated before they’ll approve it | How AI is changing recruitment decisions | HRD Canada