The ongoing labor dispute between the Maritime Employers Association and the Syndicat des débardeurs du port de Montréal at the Port of Montreal has reached a critical point. The MEA has issued a final offer to the dockworkers’ union, threatening a lockout if an agreement is not reached by 9 p.m. Sunday.
The new offer from the MEA includes a significant salary increase for longshore workers, with a three per cent raise per year for four years and a 3.5 per cent raise for the two subsequent years. This offer would bring the total average compensation package for a longshore worker at the Port of Montreal to over $200,000 per year by the end of the contract.
In addition to the salary increase, the MEA is also requesting that longshore workers provide at least one hour’s notice when they will be absent from a shift, rather than the current one minute notice. This change is aimed at reducing management issues that have been impacting daily operations at the port.
The ongoing strike by the union has already paralyzed two terminals, representing 40 per cent of the port’s container handling capacity. A complete strike on overtime has also been in effect since October 10. The union is seeking the same increases granted to counterparts in other ports, as well as improvements in scheduling and work-life balance.
The potential lockout could have significant impacts on the port, which moves $400 million in goods every day. Montreal port authority CEO Julie Gascon has called for federal intervention to end the dispute, stating that negotiations at the table have not been successful and urging the government to help bring true industrial peace.
Federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon has also expressed concern over the slow pace of talks at the ports in Montreal and British Columbia, where more than 700 unionized port workers have been locked out since November 4. He emphasized the need for urgency in resolving the disputes.
As the situation continues to unfold, both employers and employees at the Port of Montreal are facing critical decisions that will impact not only their livelihoods but also the flow of goods through one of Canada’s key ports. Stay tuned for updates on this evolving labor dispute.
This article was sourced from The Canadian Press and is dated 2024.
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