At a general meeting on November 30th, Port of Quebec longshore workers voted 70% to reject the mediator’s proposal. With the festive season approaching and the specter of a second Christmas on the picket lines, members rejected the offer they found to be unsatisfactory.
“It is an act of faith, a very courageous gesture and a message to the employer that 15 months into the lockout, a half-hearted agreement isn’t going to cut it. The parties must return to the bargaining table and find common ground satisfactory to both parties,” explained CUPE union representative Nina Laflamme.
The longshore workers have been locked out since September 15, 2022, and the employer has brought in scabs to do their work.
Negotiations began on May 31, 2022, and on June 16, 2022, the union requested mediation.
The union has no further comment and is focusing instead on putting all of its energies into negotiating at the bargaining table.