Montreal bus drivers and metro operators vote in favour of strike

A Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus, photographed on November 14, 2024. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Bus drivers and metro operators at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) voted in favour of pressure tactics including an unlimited general strike on Saturday evening.

Members of the local Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) section voted 99 per cent in favour of the strike mandate at a general meeting, the union reported on Sunday.

On top of bus drivers and metro operators, the union represents station agents and paratransit drivers for the STM, for a total of 4,500 members.

CUPE says the STM administration continues to make “significant demands on unionized staff,” particularly with regard to work schedules, work-life balance and job security.

The issue of wage increases and the privatization of paratransit services is also among the points of contention between union members and the employer.

“This is not a decision we take lightly, but our members have spoken with one voice. They demand to be treated with respect, to be able to do their jobs in humane conditions and to receive compensation that reflects their essential role in the daily lives of Montrealers,” said Frédéric Therrien, president of CUPE Local 1983, in a press release.

Their collective agreement has been expired since Jan. 5.

The STM Maintenance Employees Union announced last week it would go on strike starting June 9, which would coincide in part with the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 1, 2025.