The Port of Montreal has entered a critical phase of labor disruption as dockworkers have overwhelmingly rejected a new deal from the Maritime Employers Association (MEA), triggering a lockout at Canada’s second-largest port. Representing approximately 1,200 dockworkers, the union, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), announced that 99.7% of its members voted to reject the latest offer, signaling widespread discontent over the terms proposed by the MEA.
Last Thursday, the MEA presented what it termed a “final offer,” warning that it would initiate a lockout on Sunday at 9 p.m. if the union did not accept the six-year contract. The association’s proposed package included a 3% wage increase for four years, followed by a 3.5% increase over the remaining two years, projecting dockworker compensation to exceed $200,000 annually by the end of the contract. Additional terms requested dockworkers to provide at least one hour’s notice for absences, aiming to improve port management and operational consistency. However, the union firmly rejected these terms, citing “cosmetic changes” and lack of resolution on scheduling and work-life balance, central concerns for union members.
In response to the lockout, the MEA has called on Canada’s Labour Minister, Steven MacKinnon, to mediate and help resolve the ongoing impasse. Operations at the port have scaled back, with only critical terminals, including the Bickerdike, liquid bulk, and grain terminals, continuing service. As Canada’s second-largest port, handling nearly $400 million in goods daily, the Port of Montreal’s disruption is expected to have far-reaching effects on supply chains across the nation.
This lockout adds to a series of recent labor disruptions affecting Canada’s ports, including an ongoing contract dispute at the Port of Vancouver. Both the Montreal and Vancouver port lockouts are raising concerns across the business sector, with significant potential impacts on supply chains and small businesses reliant on port access. Friday’s mediation efforts between the union and the MEA failed to produce a breakthrough, leaving both sides entrenched in their positions. The union is holding out for wage terms similar to agreements reached at the ports of Halifax and Vancouver and remains focused on resolving issues around scheduling flexibility and work-life balance.
As the standoff continues, stakeholders are closely monitoring developments, with no immediate end in sight to the Montreal port lockout.
Source: Swifteradio.com
