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Montreal port companies threaten shutdown over labour conflict

Port of Montreal terminal operators have threatened to shut down most operations as of Sunday after providing a last deal to the longshore union.

The overall shutdown would further slow Canadian imports and exports at a time the Port of Montreal is already operating at partial capability and as West Coast ports are stopped due to a. different dispute.

If the Canadian Union of Public Worker Local 375 does not. accept the offer by Sunday at 8:00 p.m. (0100 GMT), just. vital services and activities unrelated to longshoring will. continue at the Port of Montreal from 9 p.m. on Sunday, the. Maritime Employers Association stated in a statement on Thursday.

So far, 2 terminals operated by Termont, representing. about 40% of Montreal's container traffic and 15% of overall port. volume, have been closed down by the union's strike, which began. on Oct. 31.

If the operators' offer is not accepted, all longshoring at. the port would be locked out, the association stated. Longshore. employees transfer freight from ships to trucks and trains and relocation. freight around on docks.

The association stated its pay deal represented a cumulative. boost of over 20% over six years.

A union representative said on Friday an offer has actually been made. and the union is taking a look at it.

West Coast ports, including Canada's largest port of. Vancouver, have actually been mostly closed down considering that Monday due to a. labor dispute, affecting exports of canola oil and forest. products. Bulk grain exports are not impacted.

The British Columbia Maritime Employers Association said in. a statement on Thursday night that it is scheduled to satisfy. with International Longshore and Storage Facility Union Local 514. agents with the support of the Federal Mediation and. Conciliation Service on Saturday afternoon.

Federal Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon has stated both sides. have an obligation to reach an arrangement. On Thursday, he. criticized the lack of obvious development at both ports.

(source: Reuters)