The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) on Jan. 16 reported that all Port of Montreal activities are “back to normal” after fully resuming two months ago as directed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
Canadian Minister of Labor Steven MacKinnon on Nov. 12, 2024, moved to intervene in port labor disputes in Montreal, Vancouver, and Quebec City by asking the CIRB to order an end to work stoppages and impose binding arbitration.
What happened? After Port of Montreal longshore workers voted against accepting “the last and final offer” presented by employers Nov. 7, 2024, the Maritime Employers Association, as it had said it would, imposed a lockout as of 9:00 p.m. Nov. 10. On Nov. 11, the first day of the lockout, MPA President and CEO Julie Gascon warned about the severe economic consequences of a prolonged dispute for Montreal, Quebec, and all of Canada.
“This lockout affects not only the 1,200 longshoremen directly impacted by the work stoppage, but it also impacts more than 10,000 workers in the logistics sector, from trucking and railway [primarily CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City] employees to maritime agents and pilots,” Gascon said at that time. “Logistics jobs are the first to be affected, which inevitably sets off a domino effect throughout the entire economy in the markets we serve.”
On Nov. 13, the BC Marine Employers reported receiving a CIRB order directing it and its members to resume operations Nov. 14 and to continue operations and duties until the Board makes a final determination. The Maritime Employers Association on Nov. 14 reported receiving a CIRB order requiring operations to resume at the Port of Montreal, effective 7:00 a.m. Nov. 16.
Since that time, Montreal port teams and their partners have handled 52 container ships with volumes totaling nearly 197,985 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units), transported 137 freight cars of grain for CanEst and Viterra, and welcomed about 2,300 truck drivers per day throughout the terminals, MPA reported Jan. 16. “Constant efforts made it possible to manage the backlog of about 13,350 TEUs on the ground, 100 of which contained critical and medical equipment, as well as 28,000 feet of freight cars headed for export,” it said.
According to MPA, mediation is still under way. It noted that CIRB’s “decision rules out any pressure tactics affecting operations until the next collective agreement expires.”
“Regaining control after several weeks of uncertainty requires a major effort from our teams and each of our partners, as tens of thousands of containers were expected,” Julie Gascon said. “The hard work of all our logistics partners was mission-critical to make sure the supply chain flowed smoothly again, and in turn, meet the needs of the businesses and consumers who depend on the Port of Montreal. With their help, we were able to clear our backlogs in fewer days than originally planned.”
