The Syndicat des débardeurs du port de Montréal held a general meeting today to vote on the employer’s offer, which was rejected by 99.71%. For the time being, the union does not intend to submit a strike notice, a mandatory step in bringing about a work stoppage.
“Our members also voted 98% symbolically to demand that the employer return to the bargaining table. We’ll be calling the mediators tonight. Our objective is to return to the table to get a negotiated agreement,” said union representative Michel Murray at a press conference.
The employer submitted a comprehensive offer last March 12, putting an end to the bargaining process. The vote took place virtually between 11 am and 3 pm. Of the 1120 members, 1023 voted. 1020 rejected the employer’s offer, with 2 in favour and 1 abstention.
Recall that the Syndicat des débardeurs du port de Montréal (SCFP 375) and the Maritime Employers’ Association (MEA) reached agreement on a seven-month truce, which put an end to the strike that began on August 10, 2020. The truce ended this morning at 7 am.
Falsehoods spread by employer organizations
“Before the truce ended, we couldn’t comment on the status of negotiations. Unfortunately, some employer organizations went public with false information during that time. We are pleased that we can finally rectify some of the erroneous claims. But most of all, we want to get back to the bargaining table,” added Murray.