Question Period Note: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AT THE PORT OF MONTRÉAL BETWEEN THE MARITIME EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION (MEA) AND THE SYNDICAT DES DÉBARDEURS, CANADIAN UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (CUPE), LOCAL 375

Current status of the collective bargaining negotiations at the Port of Montréal between the MEA and the Syndicat des débardeurs, CUPE, Local 375

• Two federal mediators have been appointed to assist the Maritime Employers Association and the union representing the longshore workers at the Port of Montréal in their negotiations.

• The mediation process is ongoing and both parties are urged to continue to work closely with the mediators to reach an agreement.
• Negotiated agreements are always the best way forward and yield positive results for companies and workers.

The Maritime Employers Association (hereafter the “employer”) has as its mission to represent all maritime stakeholders in the Ports of Montréal, Trois-Rivières/Bécancour, Hamilton and Toronto. It negotiates and administers the collective agreements to its members, which include ship owners and/or ship operators and/or ship agents and stevedoring companies.

The employer and the Syndicat des débardeurs, CUPE, Local 375 (hereafter the “union”), are negotiating the renewal of their collective agreement, which expired on December 31, 2023, covering all the employees (approximately 1,170) of all the employers engaged in the loading and unloading of vessels, and in other related work, in the territory of the Port of Montreal.

On September 1, 2023, the union served a notice to bargain to the employer and a bargaining session took place on September 13, 2023. On September 22, 2023, the union sent a notice of dispute to the Minister. On October 6, 2023, two conciliation officers were appointed. Meetings with the parties were held on November 2, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23-24, and December 4-5, 2023.

On October 6, 2023, the employer filed an application, under subsection 87.4(4) of the Canada Labour Code, requesting the Canada Industrial Relations Board (hereafter the “CIRB”) to determine any question with respect to the maintenance of activities in the event of a legal strike or lockout.

The conciliation period concluded on December 5, 2023, and two mediators were appointed on December 6, 2023. Meetings with the parties were held on December 11, 13, 14, 18-20, 2023,
January 15-16, April 8-9, 16-17, 22-23, July 22, September 26 and 29, and October 4, 2024.

On January 1, 2024, the parties acquired the legal right to strike or lockout.

On March 14, 2024, the CIRB dismissed the employer’s application to maintain the activities performed by the union-represented employees, including longshoring activities, in the event of a strike or lockout.

On April 22, 2024, the union presented the employer’s offer to its members for a vote, which was rejected by 99.54% of the union membership.

On September 24, 2024, the union held a strike vote and presented an employer’s offer to its members. The union members rejected the employer’s offer by 99.63% and voted 97.88% in favour of a strike mandate.

From September 30, 2024, at 7:00 EDT to October 3, 2024, at 6:59 EDT, the union held a strike affecting the operations at two of the Termont Montréal Inc. terminals (Viau Terminal and Maisonneuve Terminal). The strike affected 320 employees.

On October 7, 2024, the union gave a strike notice to the employer, advising that as of 7:00 EDT on October 10, 2024, for an indefinite period, members will no longer perform overtime work. The strike notice affects approximately 1,170 employees, including longshoremen, foremen, maintenance employees, members of the first support reserve and the maintenance employees support reserve. In response, on the same day, the employer sent a notice to the union, specifying that employees assigned to shifts who are unable to work due to the overtime strike will not be paid for the hours they would normally have worked.

No further mediation meetings are scheduled at this time. The mediators remain in contact with the parties and are available to assist them in their negotiations.

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