2021 Port of Montreal strike
{{Short description|Strike action at the Port of Montreal}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = 2021 Port of Montreal strike
| partof =
| image =
| caption =
| date = {{Start date|2021|04|26}} – {{End date|2021|05|01}}
| time = 7:000
| coordinates =
| causes =
| goals =
| methods = * Demonstrations
| status =
| result = Legislation passed in the Parliament of Canada mandating an end
| side1 = Canadian Union of Public Employees (Local 375)
| side2 = Maritime Employers Association (MEA)
| side3 =
| leadfigures1 =
| leadfigures2 =
| howmany1 =
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| notes =
}}The 2021 Port of Montreal strike began at 7:00 AM on April 26, 2021, after Local 375 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (Syndicat des débardeurs du Port de Montréal) walked off the jobsite.{{Cite web |title=Update: Strike at Port of Montreal |url=https://www.buckland.com/news/update-strike-at-port-of-montreal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501133458/https://www.buckland.com/news/update-strike-at-port-of-montreal/ |archive-date=2021-05-01 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Buckland Customs |language=en-CA}} The strike is part of a dispute dating back to 2018, when the union and management were unable to negotiate a new contract.{{Cite news |last=Smalley |first=Megan |date=2021-04-24 |title=Port of Montreal strike planned for April 26 |url=https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/port-montreal-workers-plan-strike-april-2021/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514192037/https://www.recyclingtoday.com/news/port-montreal-workers-plan-strike-april-2021/ |archive-date=2025-05-14 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Recycling Today}}{{Campaignbox Railroad strikes}}
Background
The Port of Montreal is Canada's second busiest port of entry with approximately $100 billion worth of goods passing through the port each year.{{Cite web |last=Transport Canada |first= |title=Backgrounder on the economic impact of a strike at the Port of Montreal |url=https://tc.canada.ca/en/corporate-services/transparency/briefing-documents-transport-canada/minister-s-appearance-senate-committee-whole-port-montreal-legislation-april-30-2021/backgrounder-economic-impact-strike-port-montreal |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Transport Canada |language=en-CA}}
Approximately 1,125-1,150 workers were part of CUPE Local 375 at the time.{{Cite news |date=2021-03-30 |title=Port of Montreal sees drop in shipments as labour dispute continues |url=https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2021/03/30/port-of-montreal-sees-drop-in-shipments-as-labour-dispute-continues-3588988/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514192849/https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2021/03/30/port-of-montreal-sees-drop-in-shipments-as-labour-dispute-continues-3588988/ |archive-date=2025-05-14 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=CityNews Ottawa}}
There had been a strike in August 2020, the Port of Montreal strike. At the time, the union agreed to not strike for seven months.{{cite news |date=August 21, 2020 |title=Employers, striking dockworkers reach truce, Montreal port to reopen |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7290763/port-of-montreal-deal-longshore-workers/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427031943/https://globalnews.ca/news/7290763/port-of-montreal-deal-longshore-workers/ |archive-date=2021-04-27 |access-date=2025-05-15 |work=Global News}}
In March 2021, the union rejected a new contract from the Maritime Employers Association.{{Cite news |date=2021-03-19 |title=Déjà vu as Port of Montreal strike looms |url=https://www.freightwaves.com/news/deja-vu-as-port-of-montreal-strike-looms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323165008/https://www.freightwaves.com/news/deja-vu-as-port-of-montreal-strike-looms |archive-date=2021-03-23 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=FreightWaves}}
Strike
On April 26, CUPE launched an "unlimited general strike".
A partial strike had started on April 17.{{Cite news |last=Biggar |first=Kim |date=2021-04-26 |title=Longshoremen strike at Port of Montreal |url=https://splash247.com/longshoremen-strike-at-port-of-montreal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425192716/https://splash247.com/longshoremen-strike-at-port-of-montreal/ |archive-date=2021-04-25 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Splash 247 |publisher=Asia Shipping Media Pte}}{{Cite news |last=Mullen |first=Avery |date=2021-04-16 |title=Partial strike at Montreal port disrupting supply chain, piling on extra costs, shippers and manufacturers warn |url=https://financialpost.com/transportation/partial-strike-at-montreal-port-disrupting-supply-chain-piling-on-extra-costs-shippers-and-manufacturers-warn |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418012049/https://financialpost.com/transportation/partial-strike-at-montreal-port-disrupting-supply-chain-piling-on-extra-costs-shippers-and-manufacturers-warn |archive-date=2021-04-18 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Financial Post}} The full strike effectively began on the evening of April 23, due to ongoing actions against overtime and weekend operations, even as it officially started on April 26.
In total the strike lasted 5 days, due to the federal government passing legislation to force it to end.{{Cite news |date=2024-09-26 |title=Montreal dockworkers approve strike mandate |url=https://financialpost.com/news/economy/montreal-dockworkers-strike-mandate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927020920/https://financialpost.com/news/economy/montreal-dockworkers-strike-mandate |archive-date=2024-09-27 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Financial Post}}
Legislation
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021
| legislature = Parliament of Canada
| long_title = An Act to provide for the resumption and continuation of operations at the Port of Montreal
| autocollapse_long_title = true
| citation = S.C. 2021, c. 6
| considered_by = House of Commons of Canada
| enacted_by =
| considered_by2 = Senate of Canada
| royal_assent = 2021-04-30
| date_commenced = 2021-04-30
| bill_history_url = https://www.parl.ca/legisinfo/en/bill/43-2/c-29?view=progress
| bill_citation = Bill C-29
| introduced_by = Filomena Tassi
| 1st_reading = 2021-04-27
| 2nd_reading = 2021-04-29
| committee_whole_label = Committee of the Whole
| committee_whole = 2021-04-29
| 3rd_reading = 2021-04-29
| 1st_reading2 = 2021-04-30
| 2nd_reading2 = 2021-04-30
| 3rd_reading2 = 2021-04-30
| status = in force
}}
The federal government tabled legislation, {{Visible anchor|Port of Montreal Operations Act, 2021}} ({{Langx|fr|Loi de 2021 sur les opérations au port de Montréal}}), to require the resumption of operations at the port.{{Cite news |last=Tomesco |first=Frédéric |date=2021-04-27 |title=Liberals table back-to-work legislation to end Port of Montreal strike |url=https://www.montrealgazette.com/business/article97071.html |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2025.05.14-190750/https://www.montrealgazette.com/business/article97071.html |archive-date=2025-05-14 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Montreal Gazette}} The legislation allows for arbitration to be imposed by the federal government.
The Minister of Labour Filomena Tassi justified the legislation on the basis that there were medical supplies which were necessary to combat COVID-19 that were unavailable: "ships, currently with COVID-related products, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, that now cannot get through". Filomena Tassi also described the issue as "life or death".{{Cite news |last=Berthiaume |first=Lee |date=2021-04-27 |title=Ottawa tables back to work bill to end strike at Port of Montreal |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7813032/ottawa-bill-to-end-strike-montreal-port/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427153925/https://globalnews.ca/news/7813032/ottawa-bill-to-end-strike-montreal-port/ |archive-date=2021-04-27 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Global News}}
In the House of Commons, three Liberals voted against the bill alongside MPs from Bloc Quebecois, the New Democratic Party and the Green Party.{{Cite news |last=Bryden |first=Joan |last2=Dib |first2=Lina |date=2021-04-29 |title=House of Commons approves back-to-work legislation to end strike at Port of Montreal |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7819600/commons-work-legislation-port-of-montreal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429185343/https://globalnews.ca/news/7819600/commons-work-legislation-port-of-montreal/ |archive-date=2021-04-29 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Global News}} The NDP criticised the Liberal Party of Canada for forcing the workers at the port to go back to work. Bloc Quebecois described the legislation as "incompetence" rather than a "solution". The Conservatives supported the bill but criticized the federal government for not resolving the issues earlier.
The union described the legislation as unconstitutional and a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms due to it restricting the right to strike{{Cite news |last=Alhmidi |first=Maan |date=2021-04-30 |title=Senate approves Port of Montreal back-to-work legislation |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7822717/port-of-montreal-strike-legislation-senate/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430124431/https://globalnews.ca/news/7822717/port-of-montreal-strike-legislation-senate/ |archive-date=2021-04-30 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Global News}} The union also described the legislation as "neither helpful nor necessary" and said that the legislation undermined the "fundamental rights" of workers.{{Cite news |date=2021-04-27 |title=Canada lines up back-to-work legislation to end Montreal port strike |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/business/canada-lines-up-back-to-work-legislation-to-end-montreal-port-strike-idUSL1N2MK220/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2025.05.14-205516/https://www.reuters.com/article/business/canada-lines-up-back-to-work-legislation-to-end-montreal-port-strike-idUSL1N2MK220/ |archive-date=2025-05-14 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Reuters}} The union described the federal government as sending a "a strong and clear message" to all employers across Canada, with "no need to negotiate in good faith with your workers", because if faced with a difficult situation the federal government would support the employer.{{Cite news |date=2021-05-01 |title=Montreal port says work to resume, union vows to fight government's new law |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadian-government-passes-legislation-end-montreal-port-strike-2021-05-01/ |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.today/2025.05.14-191455/https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadian-government-passes-legislation-end-montreal-port-strike-2021-05-01/ |archive-date=2025-05-14 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=Reuters}}
The union filed complaints with the International Labour Organization because Canada is a signatory to two international treaties relating to the right to strike.{{Cite news |date=2021-04-29 |title=Port of Montreal union vows to contest federal back-to-work order |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/port-strike-back-to-work-1.6006748 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429102402/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/port-strike-back-to-work-1.6006748 |archive-date=2021-04-29 |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=CBC News}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{Notable labour disputes in Canada}}
Category:Labour disputes in Quebec
Category:Labour disputes led by the Canadian Union of Public Employees