The labor atmosphere at the Port of Montreal has tensed up as CUPE Local 375, representing the port’s longshore workers, announced a decision to halt all overtime work starting from 7 a.m. ET on October 10, for an indefinite period. This decision comes amidst ongoing negotiations, which, according to the union, have been sluggish due to the employer’s lack of urgency.
Michel Murray, a representative of CUPE, expressed in a statement on October 7 that the union is prepared to engage in intensive negotiations facilitated by two mediators from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. However, he emphasized that the move to stop working overtime is a strategy to escalate pressure on the employer to commit more actively to finding a resolution.
The longshore workers have been operating without a renewed collective agreement since the expiration of the last one on December 31, 2023. This recent development follows an initial three-day partial strike conducted in late September. The situation remains under close observation by the NCBFAA Transportation Committee as it unfolds.
