Montreal faces another round of transit disruptions as 2,400 STM workers prepare to strike

Montreal’s public transit system is bracing for significant disruptions as 2,400 STM maintenance workers are set to hit the picket lines on Monday.

With no new negotiations scheduled this weekend, the strike is expected to go ahead. It follows as the union’s 25 per cent offer was rejected – with management countering at 12.5 per cent.

Montrealers who rely on the metro are being urged to plan ahead as six strike days are planned to take place between Sept. 22 and Oct. 5.

“Service will be stopped running as of 9:30 in the morning,” said Vanessa Trunzo, student at Université de Montréal. “My class is at 12:30 p.m. so I have to leave much earlier than I usually would. I have to bus and metro to school and with this strike well I’m going to have to go three hours earlier.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have like a specific solution,” said Assiya Touati, transit user.

“For me, it really is interrupting my daily routine of my life,” said Victor Borden, transit user.

This will mark the second time STM workers walked off the job since June.

Metro services are expected to be reduced for two weeks every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with paratransit services to continue uninterrupted.

For Montrealers like Trunzo, it means starting her commute hours earlier than usual to make it to class.

“They’ve done it before and they’re doing it again,” said Trunzo.  “It’s frustrating, I guess. You know, so many people have to get to work, get to school.”

For businesses inside Montreal’s subway system – fewer commuters mean fewer customers. 

“Last time the first strike happened, it completely reduced the foot traffic, it slowed our business down,” said Moeez Amiq, line cook at Pizza Bella at Guy-Concordia station. “We lose about like 50 customers during the strike.”

The union’s wage demands represent a roughly 300 million dollars increase over the course of five years.

Union representatives told CityNews on Friday that their demands come as wages have failed to keep up with inflation.

“You have to understand that we don’t like striking,” said Caroline Senneville, president of CSN. “We’re not getting paid when we’re striking, but we feel that we need to do it. So, the employer gets the message.”

The STM says that management would be forced to cut back bus services by 10 per cent if they were accepted the union’s demands.

Transport officials cited Friday what they call a financial crisis limiting management to meet the union’s asking price.

“We would need to cut back service by 10 per cent for the bus service,” said Katherine Roux Groleau, director of public affairs at STM. “And let me be clear, we will not be cutting service to meet the demands.”

CityNews spoke with Montrealers about the upcoming strike, many of whom had mix reviews.

“You can obviously negotiate, but 12.5 compared to 25 (per cent) is a big jump, you know, like, meet in the middle or something like that,” said Ben Glassco, local. “Those workers should be getting compensated the way they deserve.”

“I understand that they want 25 per cent  but in the day’s market value that’s absolutely absurd,” said Borden.

“Fingers crossed that I’ll be able to get back to Montreal with all these strikes going on,” said Don Airlie, transit user.