Shipping and Logistics
St. Lawrence Seaway Reopening After Tentative Labor Pact Is Reached
Written by Laura Miller
October 30, 2023
The St. Lawrence Seaway is reopening after a tentative agreement has been reached between striking Unifor members and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. (SLSMC).
Canadian union Unifor announced the tentative agreement on Sunday, Oct. 29, noting that it was reached during negotiations mediated by Canada’s federal government.
The 360 SLSMC employees represented by Unifor must still ratify the agreement. A vote is being scheduled for the coming days, the union said.
The strike against the SLSMC began on Oct. 22. It shut down the lock system managed by SLSMC between Montreal, Quebec, and Lake Erie.
The SLSMC said in a statement sent to SMU that it has begun to implement its recovery program and “will start passing ships progressively as of Monday, Oct. 30, with the return-to-work of employees at 7:00 a.m.”
“We know that this strike has not been easy for anyone, and value the patience and cooperation of our marine industry bi-national partners; carriers, shippers, ports, local communities, and all those who depend on this vital transportation corridor on both sides of the Canada-US border,” said Terence Bowles, SLSMC president and CEO.
Laura Miller
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