STM and maintenance workers’ union disagree on holiday staffing during strike

The Montreal transit agency and its maintenance workers’ union remain at odds over which essential services must be maintained during the group’s fourth strike, particularly on the holiday dates of Dec. 25 and 26, and Jan. 1 and 2, as well as during a winter storm.

The union, which represents 2,400 maintenance employees with the Federation of Public Service Employees, affiliated with the CSN, has called a fourth strike from Dec. 11 to Jan. 11. This time, members plan to refuse overtime.

The Administrative Labour Tribunal heard several witnesses Thursday, including heavy-vehicle mechanics, starters-parkers and employees assigned to transport centres and the métro, to explain their duties.

The Société de transport de Montréal argues the list of essential services submitted by the union is inadequate during a winter storm. The union’s proposal would trigger additional duties after five centimetres of snow or 25 millimetres of freezing rain.

But the STM says action must begin when such conditions are forecast, not once snow or ice has already accumulated. “We can’t wait for actual freezing rain before intervening,” STM lawyer Camille Dulude told the tribunal.

Holiday staffing is also a sticking point, with the parties disagreeing over how many maintenance employees should be available on Dec. 25 and 26 and Jan. 1 and 2.

The union argues that holiday service generally follows the regular weekend schedule, which offers reduced métro and bus service. It maintains that no bus shortages are expected during the month-long overtime strike, saying a number of buses always remain in garages and that this would be enough to meet demand.

It says proper management of the fleet, including repairs and refuelling priorities, will ensure riders are not affected.

The STM counters that it is already facing an unusually difficult situation, as 220 articulated buses, the equivalent of 330 standard buses, are out of service due to a technical failure.

The same maintenance union staged three previous strikes: in June, September–October and November. The most recent strike, expected to last 28 days, was cut short.

Meanwhile, a second tentative agreement reached in mid-November between the STM and the union representing 1,300 administrative and technical employees was ratified Wednesday night. The Canadian Union of Public Employees local said 75 per cent of members voted in favour.

A first tentative deal was also reached in mid-November with the STM’s largest union, representing 4,500 bus drivers and métro operators. That agreement avoided two planned strike days on Nov. 15 and 16. Drivers, members of another CUPE local, ended up striking only once in 38 years, on Nov. 1.

– This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews