The Canadian supply chain is already fragile. Negotiations to renew the longshoremen’s collective agreement have been going on for over a year.
The uncertainty caused by this long delay and the recurrence of labor disputes are affecting the Québec and Canadian economies, and Canada’s reputation as a reliable and resilient trading partner.
A significant drop in cargo at the Port of Montréal as a result of this uncertainty also poses serious financial challenges for the MEA.
***Latest news***
March 19, 2025 – Since November 25th, the MEA and the Longshoremen’s Union have been engaged in a 90-day mediation process, which was supposed to end on February 14th. At the mediator’s suggestion, both parties agreed to extend the process until March 14th. Since then, the parties and the mediator have continued discussions in an effort to find common ground, with the goal of reaching a negotiated collective agreement. The special mediator informed us today that he no longer saw any potential agreement between the two parties and has ended the mediation process.
The end of mediation triggers the process of arbitration, to which both parties must submit.
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Timeline
This calendar tracks the long process that began over 13 months ago, from the notice to bargain received September 1, 2023 up until now.
MEA Responsabilities
The MEA is mandated with offering competitive working conditions to longshore workers and checkers, recruiting and training them. It also advises terminal operators on health and safety issues in the workplace.
It ensures the daily dispatch of port workers to offer optimal vessel transshipment service in the ports of Montréal, Contrecœur, Trois-Rivières, Bécancour, Hamilton and Toronto—essential links in the Canadian supply chain.
The MEA was created by patent letters in 1969, which designated it as employers representative in collective agreement negotiations and application.
When it is time to renew a collective agreement, the MEA, represented by a negotiations committee, receives a negotiation mandate, which consists in guidelines from its board of directors.
The Longshoremen’s Union, Local 375, CUPE, represents longshoremen working at the Port of Montréal. The Longshoremen’s Union is represented in the collective agreement renewal negotiations by a union consultant employed by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
To find out more, visit the About us section of our website.