Title: Montreal Port Dockworkers Stage One-Day Strike Amidst Contract Negotiations
Byline: Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press | Posted on October 27, 2024, 1:57 pm | Reading Time: 1 min
A one-day strike was initiated by dockworkers at the Port of Montreal in the early hours of Sunday. This move aims to impose pressure on their employer amid ongoing challenging contract discussions.
The union, which represents almost 1,200 longshore workers at Canada’s second-largest port, handed out a notice on Thursday, indicating a total work stoppage from Sunday, 7 a.m., till Monday morning. This strike is in addition to an ongoing overtime shift strike and a three-day strike at two container terminals that concluded earlier this month.
The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) clarified that the work stoppage included the Montreal port and the Contrecoeur terminal. However, operations linked to grain vessels and the supply of Newfoundland and Labrador will continue as per a decision by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board in July.
The company expressed hope in a news release on Saturday that the upcoming discussions with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service would yield positive outcomes, leading to a return to the negotiation table to quickly reach a collective agreement.
Despite 35 mediation meetings over 15 months, the MEA admitted last week that the parties remain at a stalemate.
On Sunday morning, the union’s striking workers convened for a special general assembly, though the specifics of the agenda were not disclosed.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses expressed concern over the union’s actions, stating that they are impacting small and medium-sized businesses, especially as the holiday shopping season approaches.
Jasmin Guenette, the federation’s vice-president of national affairs, urged the federal government to designate ports as an essential service to ensure uninterrupted operations.
The workers have been operating without a collective agreement since December 31, 2023.
The Canadian Press first published this report on October 27, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
