The Impending St. Lawrence Seaway Strike Threatens Vessel Navigation: Latest Updates and Impacts

2023-10-19 01:06:39

The St. Lawrence Seaway might well be paralyzed by a strike which would have the effect of preventing any commercial vessel from navigating the St. Lawrence River, starting Sunday at 12:01 a.m.

Failing to reach an agreement with the Corporation de gestion de la Voie Maritime du Saint-Laurent (CGVMSL), some 360 ​​employees represented by Unifor intend to strike on Saturday, said the union which presented a strike notice on Wednesday.

“Workers in all Seaway units have had enough,” exclaimed Unifor National President Lara Payne in a press release.

Unionized Seaway workers are demanding “a serious salary offer” and accuse the corporation of not responding to their salary concerns.

“The strike is always a tool of last resort when it comes to negotiations, but these workers have been clear and are united in their objectives – they are ready,” added Unifor Quebec director Daniel Cloutier.

Lourds impacts

The two camps intend to continue negotiations on Thursday with the help of a federal mediator and, in the absence of an agreement, will prepare to close the Seaway, which allows the movement of ships from the Atlantic to the end of the Lake Superior.

“As a result of UNIFOR’s strike notice, the CGVMSL has begun to implement its detailed plans to ensure an orderly, safe shutdown of the network within the 72-hour notice period. If unionized workers actually go on strike, the St. Lawrence Seaway will be closed to all traffic,” the Corporation responded in the evening of Wednesday.

This strike comes at the height of the harvest period, however, the Corporation was alarmed.

«[Une grève] would impact grain movements at a time when the world is in critical need of this essential commodity, while supply has been affected by the situation in Ukraine and the increased frequency of global extreme weather events. , lamented the organization, ensuring that it continues to negotiate “in good faith” with its workers.

In 2022, just over 4,000 cargo ships will use the Seaway, transporting more than 36 million tonnes of goods, including 10 million tonnes of cereals of all kinds and 15.6 million tonnes of mining products.

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