Port of Montreal labor negotiations continue; Truce scheduled to end March 21st

After a break from negotiations, the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 375 (representing longshoremen at the Port of Montreal), have resumed negotiations this week. The Canadian government has recently introduced new mediators in an attempt to find a resolution before March 21, 2021, which marks the end of the truce negotiated last August following a 12-day strike.

As the truce’s end draws closer, the concern of another strike has prompted the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) to urge the federal government to take action. The strike last summer resulted in a cascading effect at the Port of Montreal, including congestion, delays, and the rerouting of shipments.