CUPE 1983, representing 4,500 bus drivers, metro operators, station agents and paratransit drivers of the Société de transport de Montréal, STM, sent the employer its strike notice late last night, to comply with the timeline for a second walkout on November 15 and 16, 2025.
The parties began mediation last Monday and continue to negotiate on a tight schedule. The union also met with Montréal’s new mayor, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, none of these efforts have resolved the impasse.
Union representatives left the meeting disappointed because Martinez Ferrada confirmed that the City would not be raising the financial framework imposed on the STM since the start of negotiations last year.
“We think this shows a lack of leadership by the mayor,” said Frédéric Therrien, CUPE 1983 President. “We had hoped that her arrival would lead out of the crisis, especially given her campaign promises about public transit. Unfortunately, she told us this issue wasn’t her priority.”
Bargaining continued late into the night yesterday, in an attempt to find common ground that would prevent the union having to file this strike notice; it was unsuccessful.
While the parties were trying to reach an agreement yesterday and avoid a second strike, Minister Jean Boulet instead added fuel to the fire by threatening implement Law 14 earlier than planned. The union believes this does not help the situation—quite the opposite.
“The CAQ is managing this issue in the worst possible way,” said Therrien. “By threatening to implement this law earlier, Minister Boulet is undermining a quick settlement between the parties. His message to the STM is to ‘just wait and see,’ that he’ll settle the matter for us by imposing an employment agreement. Meanwhile, the conflict continues and services are affected. It shows a total lack of vision.”
The parties are continuing the bargaining, with sessions scheduled all weekend. The union remains optimistic about reaching a settlement by November 15 and will focus all its energy on this goal.
On November 1, 2025, the union held its first one-day strike in 38 years.
In addition to wage increases that reflect the current economic context, the demands include more reasonable working hours and an end to unpaid work time, which is still being tolerated at the STM, which reports to the Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM).