Dockworkers at the Port of Montreal are set to escalate their labour dispute with management by halting all overtime work beginning later this week, a move the union says is intended to push negotiations forward after months without a contract.
The union representing nearly 1,200 longshore workers announced Monday that it has formally filed notice for an “overtime strike” starting at 7 a.m. EDT on Thursday. The action would remain in place indefinitely unless progress is made at the bargaining table.
According to union officials affiliated with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, talks have been slow, with work scheduling emerging as the main point of contention. Negotiations resumed on Friday under the supervision of two federal mediators, following a brief but disruptive three-day strike last week at two container terminals responsible for more than 40 per cent of the port’s container traffic.
Union spokesperson Michel Murray said workers are prepared to negotiate intensively but believe management has not shown sufficient urgency. He described the overtime ban as a measured way to apply pressure while remaining open to dialogue.
Dockworkers have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, and the standoff is already creating unease across the supply chain. The Maritime Employers Association, which represents shipping lines and terminal operators, warned that refusing overtime could significantly disrupt port operations and reduce workers’ earnings.
In a statement, the association said employees assigned to shifts that cannot be fully staffed due to the overtime ban will not be paid, arguing that the measure is necessary to prevent partial crews from slowing or shutting down operations. Management has urged the union to withdraw the strike notice and adhere to the mediation process to reach a swift agreement.
Industry groups are watching closely. While some shippers have already built up inventory in anticipation of labour unrest in Montreal, even limited disruptions can have lingering effects. Ron Lemaire, president of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association, said shipment delays are particularly concerning for sectors dealing with perishable goods.
He noted that the impact of cancelling overtime is less severe than a full strike, but added that it comes on top of a long list of supply chain challenges over the past year. Those include last year’s lengthy dockworkers’ strike in British Columbia and a recent multi-day shutdown affecting dozens of U.S. ports.
“With weather events and labour actions hitting the system again and again, it’s a constant struggle from growers right through to retailers,” Lemaire said.
As the overtime ban deadline approaches, shippers, workers, and consumers alike are bracing for potential ripple effects at Canada’s second-busiest port if negotiations fail to gain momentum.
