MONTREAL, August 7, 2020 – At 7:00 a.m. this morning, the Union des longshoremen du port de Montréal (CUPE 375) filed a notice for an indefinite general strike that will begin on Monday, August 10, 2020.

This notice has become necessary, according to the union, because of the recent changes made to the working conditions of longshoremen by the shipping companies and the technical lockout observed by the Union. Indeed, since Monday August 3, 2020 several ships have been diverted to other ports including Halifax, New York and Saint-Jean (New Brunswick).

The talks are stumbling mainly on the issue of working hours, particularly with regard to work / life balance.

The collective agreement between the union and the Maritime Employers Association (AEM) expired on December 31, 2018.