Montreal commuters are facing another wave of disruptions as maintenance workers at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) launched their second strike of the year on Monday.
The two-week strike, which runs until October 5, involves 2,400 members of the STM’s maintenance union, affiliated with the CSN. Workers will not perform overtime, and metro and bus services will be interrupted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with only essential rush-hour services maintained.
The walkout follows a similar strike in June and coincides with a planned “negotiation blitz” between the union and STM management this week. Union president Bruno Jeannotte defended the strike, saying workers are fighting for “reliable public service” and to maintain in-house expertise at the STM.
At the heart of the dispute are wages and subcontracting. The STM is offering a 12.5 per cent raise over five years, while the union is demanding 25 per cent, arguing members deserve a “catch-up” after years of inflation outpacing pay increases. STM management also wants more flexibility to outsource services like landscaping and snow removal, a move the union strongly opposes.
STM CEO Marie-Claude Léonard said last week the parties remain “very far from an agreement,” citing the agency’s severe financial strain.
The STM, which operates 68 metro stations, 223 bus routes, nearly 1,900 buses and close to 1,000 metro cars, serves about 1.1 million daily trips. Officials say more staff and communication measures have been put in place to guide commuters through the disruptions, with updates available at www.stm.info/greve.
