Port of Montreal strike planned for April 26

The Port of Montreal Longshoremans’ Union (CUPE 375) has announced that it will begin an unlimited general strike at 7 a.m. Monday, April 26.

According to a statement from the Port of Montreal Longshoremans’ Union, the strike can be avoided.

“If the Maritime Employers Association (MTA) does not want a strike, it just has to raise its leverage and the union will do the same. No overtime strike. No strike on weekends, it’s simple. We want a return to the bargaining table,” according to a French-to-English translation of a statement from Michel Murray, spokesman for CUPE 375.

The union states that these employees “have been without a collective agreement since December 2018.”

Earlier this month, the Port of Montreal expressed its concerns regarding the labor disputes at the port.

“The Port of Montreal is not the port of a single city or company or industry: it’s every resident in Eastern Canada’s port,” the Port of Montreal said April 12. “But at the turn of the first quarter of 2021, the port is being hit by a climate of uncertainty incompatible with a shipping industry that must choose to divert its vessels to provide a minimum of reliability despite the added delays and costs.”

The Port of Montreal reported April 12 that the “deterioration in labor relations between the dockworkers’ union CUPE 375 and the Maritime Employers Association is seriously impacting our ability to fulfill a mission that has been drastically curtailed. And the potential for escalation will only further curtail it. After an 11 percent decline in volumes in March, the port now has to deal with decisions that will drop its port capacity by close to 30 percent. For once in its history, the Port of Montreal is posting results that pale in comparison to its competitors on the U.S. East Coast, who are enjoying significant growth."

“Since the pandemic began, supply chains have proved their importance, and governments have designated those involved in the sector as essential or priority workers,” said Martin Imbleau, president and CEO of the Montreal Port Authority in the port’s statement April 12. “The computers needed to work remotely, the materials to make medical equipment, and the airplane and car parts that keep our factories running all arrive by ship. However, the tense situation of labor relations at the port significantly affects the reliability of port operations. The reduced scope of scheduled work will generate delays and additional costs for clients in Quebec and Ontario."

He concluded, “Public services are rarely offered on a part-time basis, yet this is what will be imposed on the thousands of businesses that are the Port of Montreal’s raison d’être. The current labor dispute means that port operations will only be partially available and capacities will be slashed. For the thousands of exporters and importers as well as the general public, who all count on this means of provision, the parties must recognize the strategic nature of this public service and quickly reach an agreement.”