MEA renews call for mediation with Montreal longshore union
NewsEmployers renew calls for mediation as longshore workers at the Port of Montreal ready to launch an unlimited strike affecting the two container terminals operated by Termont.
No resolution has been reached at the Port of Montreal as ongoing negotiations between the Maritime Employers Association and the longshoremen’s union continue to falter.
The resolution of the long-standing dispute at the Port of Montreal remains elusive, as Canadian Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon confirmed that his proposal to appoint a special mediator to help find a solution in the protracted talks has fallen through.
The proposal was made at a meeting held on October 15 aimed at fostering dialogue between the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and the Montréal longshoremen’s union, CUPE Local 375. During the meeting, Minister MacKinnon suggested appointing a mediator to facilitate negotiations without pressure tactics from either side for a 90-day period.
“Last week, I proposed the appointment of a special mediator to help the union and the employer at the Port of Montreal reach a new collective agreement. The parties have since been unable to reach an agreement. They must find a path forward towards a negotiated settlement as quickly as possible. Federal mediators and I remain available to assist them, and I will continue to closely monitor the situation,” the Minister said on X.
The initiative was proposed in the wake of an overtime strike that began on October 10, 2024. While all Port of Montreal terminals remain open during the overtime strike, longshoremen are not working overtime, which is likely to result in processing delays and a backlog of containers. The port estimates the overtime strike will slow down or disrupt the handling of around 50% of goods transiting through the Port of Montreal, both imports and exports.
The recent overtime strike comes just shortly after a three-day strike at two major container terminals as the union tries to pressure the MEA into signing a collective agreement, which they have been negotiating for over a year without success.
“The Maritime Employers Association acknowledges Minister MacKinnon’s decision to withdraw his offer to appoint a special mediator to help conclude a new collective agreement with the Longshoremen’s Union. The time has come to determine the next steps with the support of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service,” MEA said.
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