Port of Montreal dockworkers have initiated a three-day strike at two terminals, Viau and Maisonneuve Termont, beginning on September 30, 2024. About 350 longshore workers, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, are striking as part of ongoing contract negotiations with the Maritime Employers Association (MEA). Their demands include better wage conditions and regular scheduling, which they argue have not been adequately addressed since their contract expired at the end of 2023.
The MEA, after attempting to avoid the strike through mediation and an emergency hearing with the Canada Industrial Relations Board, expressed disappointment with the outcome. This strike is critical, as the two affected terminals handle more than 40% of the container traffic at the port, the second-largest in Canada. The disruption is expected to last until Thursday morning and have broader implications for supply chains, especially ahead of potential labor action at U.S. ports.
This strike comes amid other recent labor disruptions in Canada’s maritime sector, including a 2023 strike by dockworkers in British Columbia and earlier strikes at the Port of Montreal in 2020 and 2021(Global News)(CityNews Toronto).