UPDATE 1-Montreal port expects slowdown from three-day workers' strike set for Monday

Reuters · 09/27 19:10
UPDATE 1-Montreal port expects slowdown from three-day workers' strike set for Monday

Adds comments from port of Montreal paragraphs 1-3, 5-6

- The port of Montreal on Friday said customers would experience an operational slowdown after a union issued a notice for a three-day strike next week at two terminals that account for 41% of its container traffic.

"The uncertainty surrounding our activities will have a domino effect, both on importers and exporters who rely on the transportation of goods, and on the general public," port authority President Julie Gascon said in a statement.

Nearly C$6 billion worth of goods were due to arrive in coming weeks, she said.

In a statement, federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said the port was critical to Canada's supply chains, adding that he was following the situation very closely.

The strike is due to start at 7 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Monday. The workers are demanding higher wages.

Montreal is the largest container port in eastern Canada and accounted for 3.5% of Canadian GDP in 2022, Gascon said.


(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

((david.ljunggren@tr.com; +1 647 480 7891;))