Port of Montreal Union Negotiations Suspended

The union representing the longshoremen at the Port of Montreal announced on Tuesday to its members that contract negotiations with management and mediators have been suspended. The Union president Martin Lapierre clarified that the mediation process had been suspended and did not end.

You may remember that in August of last year, the Port of Montreal longshoremen launched a strike that lasted 12 days, which caused disruption and delays to many shipments. This strike ended with a seven month truce to negotiate a new contract by March 20, 2021, with both sides pledging not to engage in a strike, pressure tactics or lockout. But the union has said that the strike mandate needs to be renewed every 60 days to ensure working conditions are respected. A strike vote by the longshoremen began on Monday and will continue until Thursday.

If you have any time sensitive shipments from Europe or elsewhere going through Montreal, please contact us to discuss alternatives. We will be monitoring the situation closely and contacting shippers who may be impacted.