“The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) expresses its disappointment that no agreement has been reached between the MEA [Maritime Employers’ Association] and the Longshoremen’s Union to avoid a work stoppage,” the Montreal Port Authority said in a release.
The collective bargaining agreement between the Longshore workers’ union, which is affiliated with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), with the MEA expired on Dec. 31, 2023.
Access to the Viau and Maisonneuve terminals of the Montreal Port is currently prohibited with no rail, ship or truck services being provided. The strike is expected to last until Thursday morning.
The MPA noted that it hoped the parties could reach an agreement as delays would entail costs for companies using port services and would put $90.7 million in economic activity at risk or each day of interruption.
The union had, on Sept. 27, filed a notice with the MPA for a three-day strike at the two terminals run by Termont, a terminal operator.
In a statement released on Sunday, the MEA stated that its efforts through mediation, supported by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and an emergency hearing aimed at averting the strike had failed.
“The MEA had sincerely hoped to find common ground between the parties so that we could maintain operations. We are thus disappointed with this outcome,” the MEA stated.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses (CFIB) expressed concern about the impact of the strike on small businesses in a release on Sept. 27, noting that the then-upcoming strike would be the third strike at the Port of Montreal since 2020.
“There have been too many strikes affecting our supply chains in recent years, causing delivery delays, production slowdowns and impacting small businesses’ bottom line. It’s simply irresponsible for the unions to take strike action yet again,” the CFIB had said in a release.
The CFIB called on the government to make ports an essential service, so they remain operational at all times.
“Small businesses and their employees should not be subjected to the uncertainty of strikes and lockouts in the nation’s supply chain infrastructure,” the industry body had said.
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