Canada Strike Ends After Weeklong Disruption
A weeklong strike at Canada’s St. Lawrence Seaway ended Sunday, restoring activity in the shipping artery that links the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union representing the 360 employees who walked off the job, reached a tentative agreement with government-owned employer, St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), after mediated negotiations Friday through Sunday.
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The SLSMC said workers were back on the job as of 7 a.m. on Monday operating the lock systems, bridges and other infrastructure responsible for managing roughly $12 billion in cargo last year.
“For the first time in 55 years, seaway workers took the very hard decision to go on strike. They did so to fight for a more respectful workplace and for an agreement that reflects today’s economic times,” said Lana Payne, Unifor’s national president in a statement. “They have shown that the best deal is reached at the bargaining table, and I congratulate the committee on their outstanding work on behalf of their members.”
Details of the tentative agreement will first be shared with union members and will be made public once an agreement is ratified, Unifor said. A vote will be scheduled in the coming days.
According to the SLSMC, the union wanted wage increases patterned after the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor strike in the U.S., which pushed for 36 percent higher pay for workers at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. That strike tentatively concluded Monday when General Motors was the last of the automotive trio to agree to a new deal.
Unifor’s tentative agreement covers three local branches Ontario and two more in Quebec, who work in the supervisory and engineering group and the maintenance, operations and clerical group.
“We have in hand an agreement that’s fair for workers and secures a strong and stable future for the Seaway,” said SLSMC president and CEO Terence Bowles in a statement. “We know that this strike has not been easy for anyone, and value the patience and cooperation of our marine industry binational partners; carriers, shippers, ports, local communities and all those who depend on this vital transportation corridor on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.”
Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters president and CEO Dennis Darby estimated the strike cost companies at least $25 million per day altogether.
As of Monday morning, nearly 100 ships were stuck at ports and docks between Lake Erie and Montreal, preventing more ships from sailing into the Great Lakes. All 13 locks have now reopened.
The seaway strike was the second maritime shipping-related work stoppage in Canada this year, with dockworkers at 30 West Coast ports walking off the job for two weeks in July.
Although the St. Lawrence Seaway strike has wrapped up in Canada and the UAW strike saw tentative agreements after six weeks of disruption, laborers continue to strike in parts of the North American supply chain.
Dozens of delivery workers who were previously contracted by Amazon have picketed over 20 warehouses in the U.S. in response to what they claim are unfair labor practices.
Most recently picketing the “DAB5” warehouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., and the “DYY9” facility in Long Island, N.Y., 84 former contract employees based out of Palmdale, Calif. won representation from the Teamsters in April.
The workers say Amazon has engaged in dozens of unfair labor practices in violation of federal labor law, including terminating the entire unit of newly organized workers. But the workers are actually employed by delivery services partner Battle-Tested Strategies, whose relationship with Amazon was terminated on April 14.
Amazon has long maintained that the contracted last-mile delivery company was cited for breach of contract five times, most notably for failing to follow proper safety procedures, maintain its fleet and pay insurance providers. The tech titan has refused to recognize the union.
Palmdale organized with the Teamsters to protect their safety in extreme temperatures, which the union said regularly tops 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer.
The Teamsters said the strike will continue until Amazon remedies all of its alleged unfair labor practices. The union wants Amazon to reinstate the terminated Palmdale contractors, recognize the union, respect the contract negotiated by workers, and bargain with the Teamsters to address low pay and dangerous working conditions.
