Quebec ferry workers' negotiations have broken off
About 150 navigation officers and mechanics strike for higher pay, parental and retirement benefits
Quebec ferry workers will be on strike until Thursday at least, as union members mull over the province's final offer in the following days.
Talks broke down this afternoon, after the Société des traversiers du Québec (STQ) tabled an offer.
The STQ employs some 150 ferry navigation officers and mechanics.
Workers represented by the Métallos union, who've been on strike since Tuesday, are asking higher pay and increased parental and retirement benefits.
But the employer says the union continues to increase its demands.
"It's impossible to negotiate with the Métallos union if at each new meeting they up their demands," said the head of the STQ, Joceyln Fortier.
"We've asked the union several times to show empathy for the population of the regions of Quebec and in Sorel-Tracy, where people depend on our service, in asking them to ensure a minimum service at peak hours," he said.
"We can't accept that the population is being held hostage."
According to the Métallos union, the STQ handed over its "final offer" and then walked away from the table on Saturday.
Union members will vote on the offer at their general assemblies in the following days, which means the strike will last until Thursday at least.
Until then, the union says ferry service will remain cancelled in Lévis and Sorel-Tracy.
The strike is affecting the following ferry services:
- Complete cancellation of service between Lévis and Quebec City.
- Complete cancellation of service between Sorel-Tracy and Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola.
- Reduce service between Isle-aux-Coudres-St-Joseph-de-la-Rive and Matane-Baie-Comeau-Godbout.
- Reduced service Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine Saguenay River crossing.