Frequently Asked Questions

The MEA is a not-for-profit organization entirely funded by its members.

According to the Canada Labour Code:

• The MEA represents employers using the services of longshoremen and checkers at the ports of Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Bécancour, Hamilton and Toronto.
• The MES is the employer of the longshoremen and checkers at the ports it serves, with the exception of the Port of Toronto.

The MEA:

• Recruits, trains and dispatches labour in the ports that it serves.
• Negotiates and administrates the collective agreements.
• Advises the employers on occupational health and safety issues.

See the MEA About us section of our website to learn more about our mission, vision and values.

The MEA was created by patent letters in 1969.

The creation of the MEA allows port workers to work for several maritime companies at the same salary regardless of the location or gender of worker.

With employers grouped, port employees were able to access more paid hours of work because labour demand was no longer dependent on the traffic of a single operator; if there is a vessel at the port, regardless of where, the same pool of workers can work.

Longshore workers and Checkers have the same working conditions, regardless of which vessel or terminal they are working on. Incidentally, the MEA makes it possible for employers to retain a pool of qualified employees available year-round, depending on various needs.

Find out more in the History section of our website.

Every day, the MEA normally dispatches an average of between 600 and 730 longshore workers and checkers in the ports of Montréal, Trois-Rivières and Bécancour.

Every Friday, based on the vessel scheduled to arrive in the ports, terminal operators estimate the number of port workers necessary to load and unload the vessels scheduled for the following week.

With so many unforeseen events, vessel arrival time and the work to be performed can only be accurately forecast 24 hours in advance; the necessary labour is therefore dispatched the day before.

Daily dispatch, over three shifts, 24 hours per day, in all these ports, is highly complex. Not only must the correct number of qualified people be dispatched, but the rules in the many applicable collective agreements must be followed.

The MEA is one of the only employers organization in Canada to use a computer-based tool for dispatch. In most other ports, longshore workers must still be present on site three times per day for their dispatch.

The MEA is innovating and modernizing its dispatch system in many different ways.

Moreover, it is in the process of modernizing its human resources management IT systems to meet current and future needs.

The MEA has also embarked on a project using artificial intelligence. See the Innovation section of our website to learn more about the Galileo project.

The Shared Services Centre team is responsible for this complex daily operation. Shared Services Centre employees work according to the same shifts as port employees: 24/7, 365 days per year.

The MEA serves the ports of Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Bécancour, Hamilton and Toronto.

Longshoring is carried out by dockworkers and checkers under the supervision of personnel from the longshoring companies. Some longshoremen assigned to mooring duties work directly for the MEA. 

Longshoremen occupy different positions depending on their qualifications. In particular, they can occupy any of the following positions: crane operators (portal cranes, mobile cranes, deck cranes), overhead gantry crane operators, lift truck operators, signalmen, truck operators, loader operators, hydraulic shovel operators, conveyor operators, forepersons/walking bosses, carpenters, helpers, dock attendants and securing personnel. In addition, some longshoremen are assigned to the mechanical maintenance of equipment used by employers.

The MEA is an NPO funded by members’ dues.

Rates paid by the members are based on a pricing determined by the MEA. This pricing can be set by weight and volume, according to the nature of the cargo.

Vessel mooring fees are set by movement and vary according to the type of vessel. These dues are paid by the shipping business for each vessel that dock at the Port of Montréal.

MEA revenues depend on the volume of goods handled in a port. When the amount of merchandise increases, income increases.

According to this model, a drop in volume obviously leads to a drop in MEA revenues. However, the drop in volume is accompanied by another major impact on MEA’s financial situation: when volume drops, longshoremen work less. And yet, the collective agreement – in the case of Montréal – ensures that longshoremen and checkers are paid even when they are not working. As we can see, lower revenues do not lead to lower expenses, but rather to higher expenses, since MEA must pay its employees when they are not working.

Why?

According to the collective agreements between the MEA and the Montréal unions, most port employees are entitled to “job security”. This term has a special meaning. Longshoremen and checkers are guaranteed payment even when there are no ships in the Port of Montréal. Because of the economic context, and the uncertainty created by the threat of pressure tactics, fewer ships are coming into the Port of Montréal, and the MEA is incurring more expenses while generating less revenue.

The MEA pays 100% of contributions to the pension fund, benefits and coinsurance for Montréal port workers. In this unique situation, longshoremen and checkers pay nothing towards their pension fund and social benefits. Contribution payments come directly from MEA income, collected from shipping lines and terminal operators.

The MEA has a sharing agreement for job security savings, known as the “clincher”. Roughly speaking, in certain circumstances and under certain conditions, when the MEA pays less in job security, it shares the savings with the union, which in these cases benefits from a significant financial contribution.

While the MEA paid $2.54 million in 2021 and $2.5 million to the longshore workers and checkers unions in 2022, it did not pay at all in 2023.

The costs of job security rose from $2 million in 2021 to nearly $7 million for the past year.

Federally-regulated companies are now obliged to grant each employee ten days’ sick leave per year. This entails significant expenses, nearly $2.8 million in the past year.

In total, for these 2 situations, the MEA had to pay nearly $9.7 million in salaries to longshore workers while they were not working.

Lower volumes refers to reduced cargo handling in a port. When negotiations are ongoing, the threat of pressure tactics causes uncertainty, leading shipping line’s customers not to ship to the Port of Montréal. This drop in volume leads to a drop in vessel traffic, which in turn leads to a drop in hours worked, which in turn leads to an increase in costs due to the payment of job security.

The MEA plays a crucial role in keeping the Canadian supply chain fluid and efficient.

It ensures a qualified workforce for receiving and unloading vessels.

The MEA thus contributes to the supply of essential goods and to national and international trade.

Port employees include, among others, longshore workers and checkers, as well as the staff of all longshoring companies and Port of Montréal employees. The Port of Montréal has nearly 1,460 longshore workers and checkers.

The voluntary employee turnover rate (resignations) is less 1% for longshore workers and checkers.

The MEA is the employer of longshore workers and checkers at the ports of Montréal, Trois-Rivières, Bécancour and Hamilton.

Negotiations take place as follows. The union consults its members in its own way, using the methods of its choice. The union advisor and the union executive draw up a book of demands. This proposal is generally given to the employer at the first bargaining meeting. The union executive mandates a negotiating committee. The union advisor, a CUPE employee, is the negotiating committee’s spokesperson.

Section 34 of the Canada Labour Code requires employers to negotiate through an employers’ association created for this purpose, in this case the MEA. The MEA, through its Board of Directors, mandates representatives to form the employer negotiating committee and designates a spokesperson.

Negotiation meetings must be agreed by both parties, the employer and the union executive.

The MEA is made up of several employers. Only some of them sit on its Board of Directors. Since all members must be represented, the MEA mandates a bargaining committee to negotiate on behalf of all members.

As required by law, the MEA is the designated representative of the employers, and is responsible for negotiating the collective agreement.

The MEA Board of Directors is made up of 11 directors representing members.

 See the Our members section of the site.

The MEA is the employer of longshore workers and checkers at the ports of Montréal, Hamilton, Trois-Rivières and Bécancour.

• Average annual salary in 2023: $171,008 including benefits
• Group insurance and pension plan paid entirely by the MEA
• Guaranteed income for most workers, regardless of hours worked
• Relay shifts – 20% work four hours and 80% 5 hours 20 minutes and all are paid eight-hour, twelve-hour or sixteen-hour shifts
• Up to to 6 weeks’ vacation per year
• 12 statutory holidays per year
• 5 floating days per year, of which 3 are paid
• 10 additional sick days from the federal government
• Job equity:
  • Same hourly wage for all
  • Various jobs open to all
• Employee assistance program available for all
• Paid training upon hiring and throughout the employee’s career

Nearly 100% worker retention rate

• Group insurance and pension plan paid entirely by the MEA
• Up to 5 weeks’ vacation per year 
• 10 statutory holidays per year
• 5 floating days per year, of which 3 are paid
• 10 additional sick days from the federal government
• Job equity:
  • Same hourly wage for all
  • Various jobs open to all
• Employee assistance program available for all

• Paid training upon hiring and throughout the employee’s career
• Competitive starting salary of $24.89/h with possibility of overtime
• 12 statutory holidays per year
• 5 floating days per year, of which 3 are paid
• Bonuses for evening, night and weekend shifts
• Pension plan paid by the MEA
• Competitive insurance and medical benefits
• 10 additional sick days from the federal government

The collective agreement stipulates that port employees must be available 19 out of 21 days. This does not mean that employees work 19 days out of 21.

Indeed, there are days when there are no ships, and other days when, even if there are ships, work is insufficient. There are also vacation days, statutory holidays, floating days, medical leave and days when employees declare themselves unavailable without giving a reason.

The average consecutive days worked in Montréal in 2023 was 12 out of 21 days.

It should be noted that in return for availability, the employer pays employees even when they are not working.

At the Port of Montréal, longshoremen, like crane operators, work a 4-hour shift and, depending on the time of day, are paid for 8, 12 or 16 hours. The other part of the 8-hour shift is worked by another operator, who also works 4 hours under the same conditions. This is called relay working.

This means that operations are not interrupted for breaks and meals. The same applies to the other shifts, where three employees do the work of two, in rotation so as not to interrupt operations. They each work 5h20 and, depending on the time of day, are paid for 8, 12 or 16 hours.  

Please see the collective agreements in the Documents section of our site.

The arbitrator awarded a salary increase of 3.6% for the 4 previous years since the expiry of the previous collective agreement, as well as the year remaining until the expiry of the collective agreement, for a total increase of 19.3%.

The MEA had to pay $54 million retroactively on January 20, 2023.

Job security is actually salary insurance. 

The MEA ensures full salary to its regular status longshore workers and checkers in Montréal, regardless of traffic; they are therefore assured of their weekly income even when they do not work.

The vast majority of employees have this year-round guarantee, and only a small proportion have it for only 40 weeks a year.

The MEA Harbour Training Centre is proud to train a skilled, high-performance workforce, based on the actual needs of our members.

All training is developed by MEA content experts.

To offer the most realistic training experience possible, the Centre has acquired virtual and augmented reality simulators. This cutting-edge equipment makes it possible to reproduce a number of scenarios, including difficult weather conditions and complex situations.

From the time they are hired, port employees are paid to take training throughout their career.

Yes, longshore workers and checkers benefit from a pension fund paid entirely by the MEA (20% of base salary).

The various unions administer the fund and manage investments.

The base salary for longshore workers and checkers is negotiated with the different unions. It is the same for everyone based on their employee status.

According to the Government of Canada Job Bank, in 2023, the average hourly wage for a Canadian longshore worker was $28.50/hour.

The hourly rate for longshore workers at the Port of Montréal is $43.04, which is 50% higher than the Canadian average.

To be a longshore worker, a person must have a high school diploma or the equivalent thereof and a valid driver’s licence.

Please see the Career section of our website for more information on our job opportunities. 

Anyone can apply for a longshoreman position via our website. Family members of longshore workers may apply in the same way as any other person. Recruitment must comply with the Canadian Human Rights Act.

See the Career section of our site to learn more about job opportunities at the MEA.

Until 2014, the Union provided the MEA with a list of names when it wanted to hire new longshore workers.

Since 2014, the union has provided a list of candidates which represents 50% of jobs to be filled.

On December 1, 2021, the MEA filed a nepotism grievance concerning the candidates referred by the Union, denouncing the nepotism and asking the Tribunal to order the Union to put an end to it.

On August 1, 2022, the Arbitration Tribunal declared that the practice followed by the Union in drawing up the list of candidates was discriminatory and contrary to the Canadian Human Rights Act. 

The evidence revealed that the Union engaged in nepotism in drawing up the list of candidates it submitted to the MEA. In effect, the Union assigned each employee a rank according to seniority, and allowed each employee to nominate a family member for a longshoreman’s job. This preferential treatment of family members, known as nepotism, is expressly prohibited by the Canadian Human Rights Act.

On April 14, 2023, the Arbitration Tribunal issued orders to ensure a new, non-discriminatory selection process for the list of candidates from the Longshoremen’s Union of Montréal.

Within the limits permitted by law, a criminal background check is performed by an independent firm and by Transport Canada. If it is revealed that the applicant has a criminal record that is incompatible with port professions, the applicant is not hired.

The MEA makes every effort to create a safe working climate for all its employees.

The MEA applies a Zero Tolerance policy. 

By educating and offering services, the MEA is striving to foster a safe work environment for all, free from any inappropriate behaviour, harassment or physical or verbal violence.

Canada’s economic prosperity, the health and safety of Canadians are closely linked to the stability of the supply chain.

Essential cargo, including grains and potash, are shipped to global markets through the Port of Montréal. 

Ingredients, parts and components – to name but a few – for food, medicines and other goods essential to public health and safety pass through the Port of Montréal. The supply chain is made up of a complex set of interlocking transactions, physical locations and equipment. The Port of Montréal is an inescapable bottleneck whose disruption of operations puts at risk the health and safety of the 110 million people it supplies.

Quebec and Canadian companies receive the cargo that family-owned businesses, factories, the automotive industry and construction sites need to build more affordable housing through the ports.

These raw materials are the basis for investments and create jobs in our communities across Québec and Canada.

Closures also endanger the health of Canadians; several pharmaceutical components, essential medications and medical equipment are shipped via the Port of Montréal.

The Port of Montréal makes international trade with 140 countries possible. Its facilities ensure rapid service to eastern Canada and the American Midwest; nearly 110 million people are affected by its operations.

Here are other impacts of port activities in Montréal:

• Maritime cargo imported and exported through the marine terminals of the Port of Montréal has supported 589,364 jobs in Canada, including 267,941 in Québec
• 66% of the Canadian population and 75% of the manufacturing industry are in Quebec and Ontario, the primary markets served by the Port of Montréal
• 35.3 million tonnes of cargo in 2023
• $100 billion of cargo transited per year, which is $275 million per day
• More than 2,000 vessels per year
• Up to 2,500 trucks per day
• 40 million consumers are served in a single day of trucking  
• 70 million consumers are served in less than two days of train transport  
• More than $2.7 billion in economic spinoffs
• 6,300 businesses

Port employees ensured port operations throughout the pandemic.

Our employees and members continued to ensure this essential service to the population.

According to the Montréal Port Authority, more than 770,000 containers were shipped from the Port of Montréal in 2023. When containers pass through the Port, they are all sealed and MEA employees are unable to open them or know their contents.

See the Montréal Port Authority website for information about the project.

The Port of Trois-Rivières is currently rolling out its “On Course for 2030” plan that includes facilities expansion that will increase the space by approximately 50%.

Please see the website for information on this project: Trois-Rivières Port Authority.

Please see the Société du parc industriel et portuaire de Bécancour website for information on Bécancour port activities.

As the Port of Montréal is the largest container port in Eastern Canada, an interruption in activities at the Port of Montréal would have major ongoing impacts, depending on the length of the dispute:

• 1 to 5 days: $4.2 million to $6.3 million per day. 
• 5 to 10 days: $18 million to $24 million per day. 
• 10 days and more: $23 to $28.9 million per day.

The collective agreements with longshore workers and checkers in Montréal expired December 31, 2023. Port of Montréal checkers signed a six-year collective agreement on March 15, 2024.

With regard to Montréal longshore workers, after more than 30 meetings, three bad-faith negotiating complaints filed by the MEA, the longshore workers’ rejection of two offers, the parties are at an impasse.

The MEA negotiates with six different unions. The different collective agreements expire one after the other. Here is a history of the latest negotiation with Montréal longshore workers:

2018

• Collective agreement expires
• Essential service application submitted to the CIRB

2020 

• July 27 to 31 – Port of Montréal longshore workers’ strike
• August 3 to 7 – Port of Montréal longshore workers’ strike
• August 10 to 20 – Port of Montréal longshore workers’ strike

2021

• April 26 to 30 – Port of Montréal longshore workers’ strike
• May 1 – Special law forcing longshore workers back to work

2022

• December 9 – Collective agreement imposed by an arbitrator

2023

• September 1 – Notice to bargain
• September 22 – Notice of dispute from the Montréal longshore workers union

In the past two years, volume fell by more than 15% at the Port of Montréal.

Following an increase in operating costs, combined with the decline in volume, the MEA was forced to increase the fees charged to shipping lines by 67% in 2023, an unprecedented increase.

During a labour dispute, the entire supply chain and the industries and businesses that depend on it are affected.

For example, the impacts of an interruption in port activities on labour in the construction sector can result in the loss of nearly 10% of jobs.

Other jobs are also at risk during a port strike, particularly truckers, all the warehouse employees who receive cargo, all transshipment operations employees as well as everyone who maintains the containers.

Some sectors are also endangered when the supply chain is broken such as the manufacturing sector, the auto industry, farming and pharmaceuticals.

All deliveries are delayed due to diversion of cargo to other ports. Cargo diverted to train can be delayed by up to four weeks!

An extended interruption of activities has a daily economic impact between $10 million and $25 million. 

For example, the longshore worker strike of summer 2020 deprived Montréal wholesalers of approximately $600 million in the two months following the labour dispute. 

Moreover, if the Port of Montréal is viewed as less reliable or credible, it can result in losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars in the next decades.