Maintenance workers with Montreal’s transit authority issued a strike notice on Tuesday morning. This would be their third strike this year.
In a news release, the Syndicat du transport de Montréal-CSN said it will start on the night of Oct. 31 and end on Nov. 28.
The union is slamming the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) for its “unreasonable inflexibility.”
“After more than 115 negotiation meetings, the STM remains entrenched in its positions and refuses to add the necessary people to the table to reach an agreement,” wrote the union.
“Mediation is ongoing and aims to bring the parties together, but the transport company’s inflexibility is preventing progress in the discussions.”
If the strike goes ahead, it will directly affect the internal administration of the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) by putting their overtime work on hold, the union’s release reads.
During this third strike, service slowdowns and disruptions are to be expected, although services will be maintained during peak hours.
“The 2,400 STM maintenance workers still need to resort to strike action to prevent the STM from slashing their conditions,” wrote Bertrand Guibord, president of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain, which is affiliated with the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN).
Earlier this month, the STM rejected the union’s accusations that it was stalling negotiations and waiting for Quebec’s new labour law to go into effect on Nov. 30.
The labour law, known as Bill 89, would give Quebec more power to intervene in labour disputes and put an end to a strike.
The STM’s maintenance staff carried out a nine-day strike last June and a second one from Sept. 22 to Oct. 5.
More details to come.
