Strike could close the St. Lawrence Seaway
Written by Nick Blenkey
Image: Seaway Administration
On October 18, Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector trade union notified the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation that its members are ready to strike as of midnight on Saturday, October 21, 2023, which would effectively shut down transit through the Seaway.
UPDATE: Unifor members went on strike after negotiations failed (see new story)
Management of the Seaway is shared by the U.S. and Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation is responsible for the movement of marine traffic through the Canadian Seaway facilities, which consists of 13 of the 15 locks between Montreal and Lake Erie.
Unifor says its decision, which it calls “drastic,” follows the issuance of a 72-hour strike warning to the employer, underscoring the depth of dissatisfaction and the imperative for a swift resolution to the ongoing disputes.
“Employers have seen that workers will absolutely use their right to strike when they feel it’s necessary, and our members in all units at the Seaway have had enough,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President. “It’s time to come to the table with a serious wage offer or the employer can watch what happens when workers stand together and demand their fair share.”
Unifor members at Locals 4211, 4212 and 4323 in Ontario and Locals 4319 and 4320 in Quebec have all delivered strong strike mandates. Members in the supervisory and engineering group of workers in Locals 4211 and 4319 rejected a tentative agreement on August 1, 2023 and have aligned their plans with the maintenance, operations and administrative unit that recently voted 99% to strike.
“This employer has shown no willingness to address the workers’ concerns in the workplace or approach them with a respectful wage offer,” said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor Quebec Director. “A strike is always a tool of last resort when it comes to negotiations, but these workers have been clear and are united in their goals – they’re ready.”
Negotiations were reportedly still ongoing today as workers prepared to set up picket lines at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) said that the labor action would impact grain movements “during a period when the world is in dire need of this essential commodity, even as supply has been affected bythe situation in Ukraine and the greater frequency of extreme weather events being experiencedaround the world.”
“The SLSMC remains committed to obtaining a fair settlement, and will continue to bargain in
good faith with the assistance of a federally-appointed mediator,” the agency said adding that it has started implementing its detailed plans for an orderly and safe shutdown of the system within the 72-hour notice period. Should the strike action proceed, the St. Lawrence Seaway will be closed to all traffic.
Yesterday, a Seaway Notice informed vessels of the cut-off times established to allow 24 hours to clear the Montreal-Lake Ontario Section (MLO) of upbound ships, 28 hours to clear MLO of
downbound ships, and 14 hours to clear the Welland Canal by 00:01 October 22, 2023.
