Final day of STM strike: new mediation team appointed to break negotiations deadlock
Posted October 3, 2025 6:00 am.
Last Updated October 22, 2025 8:10 am.
It’s the sixth and final day — for now — of the rotating strike by nearly 2,400 STM maintenance workers, leaving Montreal’s public transit system still heavily disrupted. The two-week strike will officially end on Sunday, restoring full metro and bus services for Monday’s commute.
The strike, which began on Sept. 22, is the second this year by maintenance employees and has led to significant delays and service interruptions across the city. With no agreement reached after more than a year of stalled negotiations, the situation has become increasingly tense — but there is now cautious optimism on both sides.
Quebec Appoints Four-Person Mediation Team
In a significant development, Quebec’s Labour Minister Jean Boulet announced Friday afternoon that a team of four experienced conciliator-mediators will now lead the next phase of negotiations between the STM and the union.
Boulet made the announcement after meeting separately with both parties. A previous mediator’s mandate had expired without success, and the new team, all with experience in public transit disputes, is tasked with breaking the impasse and helping the sides reach a deal.
“It’s a new dynamic that should be positive,” Boulet said.
“Both parties have agreed to take part in this new process, but they must act responsibly and stop negotiating through the media.”
The mediators may eventually propose a settlement hypothesis, but progress depends on both sides creating the conditions necessary for productive talks, Boulet warned. He emphasized that the public — especially those with reduced mobility, students, and workers — are bearing the brunt of the service disruptions.
Limited metro service and bus interruptions
On strike days — Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays — metro trains run only during three limited time slots: mornings from 6:30-9:30 a.m., afternoons from 2:45-5:45 p.m., and late nights from 11 p.m. until closing. Outside of these hours, metro service is completely halted, causing challenges for many commuters.
Mirka Souture-Zikovsky, a diving coach, said: “A lot of my kids use the metro to come to practice, and they can’t. They’re striking for a reason — people need to come to an agreement.”
For Geneviève Bouchard, a teacher and transit user she says that despite the strike affecting her students and exams she deems it “necessary — so the needs of the population and the workers are heard.”
Bus services have also been impacted by the strike. Although buses continue to operate, delays and interruptions have been frequent due to reduced maintenance capacity on strike days.
Longstanding negotiations lead to mediation breakdown
The strike is the result of over a year of stalled negotiations between the union and STM management, focusing mainly on wages, subcontracting, and workplace conditions. This is the second strike action by maintenance workers this year.
Mediation efforts over the weekend failed to bring the two sides closer, leading the STM to announce plans on Wednesday to request the appointment of a neutral third party who would help guide negotiations. While the government has yet to receive this formal request, officials are closely monitoring the situation.
“A substitute decision-maker does not play the same role as a mediator. At the end of the process, the mandatary may recommend to the Minister of Municipal Affairs the imposition of a collective agreement. We want a negotiated collective agreement. That’s our right. We want a mediator who can help us reach a negotiated collective agreement,” said Bruno Jeannotte, president of the Syndicat du transport de Montréal – CSN.
“We are asking the STM to return to the bargaining table accompanied by competent people to move the discussions forward. She must stop abdicating her responsibility. The working conditions of its employees concern it directly,” concludes Jeannotte.
Jacqueline Maye, who has worked at the STM for 24 years said that “a lot of what we are fighting for, we are fighting for the public as well. We do not want to hurt the public. We want to provide efficient, safe, and inclusive public service.”
“We’ve made many offers — they’ve been refused,” she added. “We want STM to come to the table with competent decision-makers.”
The STM confirmed Friday it supports the new mediation effort and considers this the start of a “new chapter” in talks with the union. In a statement to CityNews, the STM said it is:
“Fully committed to reaching a negotiated collective agreement. The appointment of new mediators will help identify possible solutions that meet operational needs and respect financial constraints set by funding agencies.”
However, STM has warned that if a deal isn’t reached soon, service cuts may be necessary to keep the system financially sustainable. With payroll representing a major share of its costs, the agency sees revising working conditions as vital for long-term viability.
Lucas, a commuter, summed up the public’s growing frustration: “It’s frustrating that it’s on again, off again. It would be nice to have some finality — one way or another.”
Union responds, hopes to avoid full shutdown
On Wednesday, the union maintained it is ready to negotiate but accused the STM of pulling away from the talks by not sending key decision-makers to the table.
While the union has not ruled out more intense strike actions, it hopes to avoid a complete shutdown of services.
What comes next?
With the two-week strike officially ending Sunday — including the overtime refusal and partial weekday service interruptions — transit users can expect normal service to resume Monday.
Labour Minister Boulet said: “I reiterate the importance of finding common ground quickly — for the benefit of the public.”
Commuters are advised to check STM’s website and app for updates, as negotiations resume and the possibility of further disruptions remains.
The union is still holding out the threat of another strike, after several months of negotiations. If it were to decide to do so, the strike would not be able to take place in the coming days, as it would still require a decision from the Administrative Labour Court.
The Tribunal must determine whether the essential services offered will be sufficient to avoid endangering public health or safety. And the essential services agreed for the two-week strike would not necessarily be the same as those that would have to be provided for an indefinite strike, for example, or a longer strike. The Tribunal always examines the context.
—With files from The Canadian Press, first published in French and translated by CityNews
