A year after special back-to-work law, Port of Montreal dock workers call for negotiations


The union says the Maritime Employers Association is acting in bad faith.

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Dock workers at the Port of Montreal say they’ve had enough. They want the employer to commit to negotiations on a new collective agreement.

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The union held a news conference Sunday, one year after the federal government adopted back-to-work legislation to force an end to their strike. It denounced what it called “bad faith” at the negotiating table from the Maritime Employers Association, including failing to be available for talks.

It said the employer is trying to drag the process along because nothing is forcing them to quickly reach a deal since the government’s law forced the port to resume work.

The 1,125 workers at the Port of Montreal walked off the job for the first time in summer 2020, and a second time in April 2021.

Filomena Tassi, then the federal labor minister, passed the special legislation forcing them back to work and nominating a mediator/arbitrator to resolve remaining issues.

The MEA refused to comment on the situation.


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