No bus or metro service Saturday as STM drivers join maintenance workers with 1-day strike, amid month-long transit disruptions

As the temperatures fall, Montrealers are bracing for more than the colder weather with an almost month-long public transit strike in November.

There will be no bus or metro service at all Saturday, Nov. 1. Starting Nov. 2, there will be limited service during rush hour and late night.

The STM’s maintenance workers will be on strike from Nov. 1 to Nov. 28. This is the third and the most extensive strike by STM maintenance workers who are demanding wage increases and an end to subcontracting by the transit agency.

The union representing 4,500 bus drivers and metro operators (CUPE 1983) voted to strike on Nov. 1, 15 and 16, the first time they will be doing so in nearly 40 years.

Mediation paused

The strikes follow after last ditch efforts with mediation, Friday morning, between Syndicat du transport de Montréal-CSN, the union representing maintenance workers and the STM management was paused.

“It’s a bit disappointing,” said Bruno Jeannotte, president of the maintenance workers union. “What we were told is that mediation would be on hold for the time being, given that the parties are far apart following the two proposals (from management and the union, on Wednesday and Thursday evening),” said Jeannotte of the decision by the mediators.

In case of bus drivers and metro operators, a mediator was appointed Friday and is expected to begin negotiations soon.

The labour tribunal (TAT) approved a schedule of limited service in order to ensure public health and safety. However, TAT rejected STM’s request for full service on election day stating that most polling stations were located within walking distance of residents.

Mayoral candidates react

The announcement drew concerns from mayoral candidates as the strike are set to begin a day before election day.

Transition Montréal leader and mayoral candidate Craig Sauvé blamed the Projet Montréal administration and accused it of delaying

“The Projet Montréal administration is deliberately using the CAQ’s Bill 89 to intentionally delay negotiations and benefit from the implementation of a new anti-democratic law,” said Sauvé, referring to the provincial government’s proposed labour reform legislation aimed at maintaining essential services in case of dispute.

Ensemble Montréal’s Soraya Martinez Ferrada said the full shutdown of service Saturday will make the lives of workers difficult, at a press conference Friday after the announcement.

“Probably many of them will have to pay from their own pocket to find a way to transport themselves to their workplace,” Martinez Ferrada said.

Projet Montréal leader and mayoral candidate Luc Rabouin said he was concerned about the strike impact on election day.

“We know that there’s a low rate of participation. And this is just another obstacle that will not help to increase the participation rate,” Rabouin said Friday.

Martinez Ferrada and Rabouin said that resolving the strike at the earlier will be their top priority, if elected this Sunday.

Quest for agreement continues

Earlier Friday morning, at a press conference, Marie-Claude Léonard, director general of STM, said that discussions with the union to increase service during the strike period were not successful.

“Unless the negotiations move very quickly today, they are not at a point where we can reach an agreement to avoid this strike,” Léonard added.

Frédéric Therrien president of CUPE 198) welcomed TAT’s decision.

“We are satisfied with this decision. It reaffirms a fundamental right, the constitutional right to strike in the context of negotiations,” said Therrien. “We have said it many times before, striking is a last resort, but we have reached that point.”

Léonard did not rule out the possibility of requesting arbitration to settle the dispute. However, such a move would require the consent of both parties—which is far from certain on the union side. In such a case, a neutral third party would be called upon to settle the clauses that have not been settled by the parties.

Maintenance workers president Jeannotte criticized Léonard for considering arbitration and blamed the STM for failing to reach an agreement despite 115 meetings.

“When we put the negotiations in someone else’s hands, everyone ends up dissatisfied,” he said.

Jeannotte said that an arbitration would be advantageous for the union. “We have put pressure tactics in place to be able to negotiate, to be able to make progress. So, for us, we’re going to start this strike,” he added.

Strike Schedule

Metro

Metro will operate on a restricted schedule throughout the strike period:

• 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
• 2:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
• 11 p.m. until the usual closing time

Note: No metro service on Saturday (Nov. 1) after last metro on Friday (Oct. 31) night.

Buses

Buses will operate regular services from:

• 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.
• 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m.

Note: No bus service on Saturday (Nov. 1) after 1:15 a.m.

Bus service to schools are also subject to restricted times. STM says trips to some schools will be canceled. Consult the STM’s school service page to see which schools are affected.

Paratransit Service

Paratransit service is not affected by the strike and will operate at all times.

Transit riders are advised to check the real-time schedule of services available on the STM website for the most up-to-date information.

— With files from The Canadian Press