Unlimited general strike at the Port of Montreal

The Port of Montreal longshore workers’ union sent, this morning, a 72-hour unlimited general strike (UGS) notice to the Maritime Employers Association. Therefore, unless there is a turnaround this weekend, longshore workers will launch a UGS starting Monday, April 26 at 7 a.m. Notwithstanding this work stoppage, longshoremen will comply with the provisions of the Canadian Labour Code relating to grain vessels. They will also comply with the June 8, 2020 decision of the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to continue the longshoring activities regarding supplying Newfoundland and Labrador.

Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is currently communicating with officials and stakeholders to try to negotiate the continuation of longshoring activities for essential products, such as perishables goods, pharmaceuticals and pandemic-related basic necessities.

RCC will also highlight the impact of a possible strike on all retailers, regardless of products sold, as shipments for seasonal goods will be stranded, thus severely impacting the viability of a large number of retailers affected by store capacity restrictions and shutdowns. This strike comes on top of the global pandemic crisis affecting maritime transport, and we intend to keep the public pressure for a quick resolution of this labour dispute.