Another east coast strike threat

The Montreal Longshoremen belong to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 375. Local 375 has voted for a motion to support “pressure tactics up to and including strike action” and has subsequently issued a 72-hour strike mandate. This means the union has a 60-day window to issue 72-hours’ notice of a strike.

The strike vote was passed on 24 September after CUPE 375 rejected the Maritime Employers Association’s (MEA) latest offer.

Montreal longshoremen have been working without a collective agreement since December 31, 2023. Bargaining for a new agreement began in September 2023 and has included a 60-day conciliation period and mediation over that time. The Canadian Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service is currently supporting the parties in negotiations. A mediation session was scheduled for today, 26 September. The main issues are wages and the shift system for longshoremen.

CUPE has declined to make any comment. In a brief statement the MEA said the situation is affecting business at the Port of Montreal.

“The uncertainty caused by this long delay and the recurrence of labour disputes are affecting the Québec and Canadian economies, and Canada’s reputation as a reliable and resilient trading partner.

“A significant drop in cargo at the Port of Montréal as a result of this uncertainty also poses serious financial challenges for the MEA,” it said in a statement.

“Our priority remains the signing of a negotiated collective agreement as soon as possible in order to work on bringing the cargo back to the Port of Montréal,” the MEA concluded.

The strike notice at Montreal is unrelated to the current master Contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) on the US east and gulf coasts.