My Alerts Following months of efforts in good faith to reach an agreement with its maintenance employees union, the STM has decided to submit an official request for a mediator
Montréal, August 9, 2018 — Following months of efforts in good faith to reach an agreement with its maintenance employees union, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has decided to submit an official request for a mediator, by virtue of the Act respecting the process of negotiation of collective agreements and the settlement of disputes in the municipal sector, in order to break the current negotiation deadlock, in the best interests of transit users. This request has become necessary despite the increased pace of meetings since the end of June and the creation of a select committee, which began meeting on July 9 to facilitate negotiations by the STM.
To date, 77 meetings have been held. Since the negotiations got under way over a year ago, the union and STM have agreed on certain sections of the collective agreement. The STM’s high-priority demands are aimed mainly at increasing work-management flexibility in order to improve its customers’ experience. As the negotiations have not produced the hoped-for results, the STM will ask the ministère du Travail, de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale to appoint a mediator without delay.
Limiting negative effects
The most recent strike, triggered in early May, involved only the use of overtime. It nevertheless deprived transit users of a number of hours of bus service, and the impact of the strike continues to be felt to this day.
As a peak period is fast approaching, with the end of summer and the start of fall, the STM is concerned that the current situation could have a negative impact on the services that its users are entitled to expect.
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Isabelle A. Tremblay
Affaires publiques
Société de transport de Montréal (STM)
medias@stm.info
