Port of Montreal dockworkers to hold another partial strike — this time, with no end date

The union representing dockworkers at the Port of Montreal have voted to hold a partial, unlimited strike.

The dockworkers, who were on strike on Sunday for one day, voted to hold another strike on Thursday. This time, the strike will be unlimited and it will affect the two Termont terminals at the port, the same ones affected by a partial three-day strike earlier this month.

The union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which is affiliated with the FTQ and represents nearly 1,200 longshore workers at the country's second-biggest port, said the strike would begin on Thursday at 11 a.m.

On Sunday, the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses said in a statement that the union's actions were affecting small and medium-sized businesses, especially ahead of the busy holiday shopping season.

"It's time the federal government made ports an essential service so that they remain operational at all times," wrote Jasmin Guenette, the federation's national affairs vice-president.

The workers have been without a collective agreement since Dec. 31, 2023.

Since Oct. 10, the dockworkers have refused overtime. They are at odds with their employers over salaries, work-life balance and schedules.