Port of Montreal workers reject 99.7% of final employer offer

The dock workers at the Port of Montreal voted 99.7% against the final employer offer presented on Friday, making a lockout inevitable.

The Association of Maritime Employers (AEM) warned on Friday that it could decree a lockout of dockworkers at the Port of Montreal, starting at 9 p.m. Sunday evening, if the final employer offer was not accepted.

Some 1,086 of 1,197 employees voted.

Yes theAEM had respected the collective bargaining processes, we would have found solutions and avoided a conflict at the Port of Montrealdeclared in a press release the advisor to the longshore union, Michel Murray.

He emphasized that nothing in the offer reflects the union’s demands. According to him, this offer does not address one of the main points in dispute which concerns working hours.

By email, theAEM recalled the unique advantages from which its longshoremen benefit, including a very generous pension plan, 100% paid by the employer and entirely managed by the union, as well as a salary guarantee program.

In the eyes of Michel Murray, however, these are “benefits” that have existed since 1972.

The Association must release an official press release in the evening.

The CEO from the Port of Montreal, Julie Gascon, will provide an update on the situation at 7:15 a.m. Monday. The local section of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), affiliated with FTQwhich represents the longshoremen will in turn hold a press briefing at 10:30 a.m.

The union and theAEM spent two hours with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service on Friday without making any progress.

Since October 31, a partial and indefinite strike has affected the Viau and Maisonneuve terminals, operated by the Termont company. Employees have also refused to work overtime since October 10.

The spokesperson for the Port of Montreal, Renée Larouche, estimates that each day of work stoppage can inflict losses of around $90 million on the Canadian economy.

With information from Élyse Allard.