Montrealers should plan their commute in advance because moving in and around the city could get complicated on Monday. It will be the first day of the latest wave of Société de transport de Montréal (STM) strikes, and a group of truckers plan to block some major bridges in protest. Over on the South Shore, Longueuil police (SPAL) is holding training simulations between 5 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. STM strike Thousands of maintenance workers are going on strike as of Monday over wages and subcontracting. The strike is set to last until Oct. 5, unless the union and management come to an agreement. As part of the strike, bus and metro service will be significantly reduced on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The metro will only open at 6:30 a.m. and service will be offered until 9:30 a.m. Service picks back up for afternoon rush hour, between 2:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m., before stopping again. It will then run between 11 p.m. and normal closing time. It should be noted that the last train’s exact timing depends on the station. As for the bus, regular service for night buses will be maintained until 1:15 a.m. and then resume at 6:15 a.m. until 9:15 a.m. Service picks back up between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., then back to regular service at 11:15 p.m. More information can be found on the STM’s website and schedules can be found here. Negotiations between the union representing 2,400 maintenance workers and STM management have been dragging on for over a year. The union rejected the STM’s latest offer of a 12.5 per cent raise over the next five years and is asking for 25 per cent. Mediation is ongoing. Trucker protest It might not be much easier for drivers on Monday morning. Protesting truckers will slow traffic on the Champlain Bridge and Lafontaine Tunnel between 5 a.m and 9 a.m. A group called “Assez c’est assez,” (enough is enough) organized demonstrations in several Quebec cities — including Montreal, Gatineau and Trois-Rivières — against the Quebec Ministry of Transportation over conditions in the trucking industry. A protest coordinator previously told CTV News the left lane will remain open for emergency vehicles and those commuting to work. The groups is following instructions from Quebec provincial police (SQ). The truckers are reacting to an increase in road accidents involving 18-wheelers. They say Quebec has lax training standards and weak enforcement measures in the industry. They blame new drivers with poor training and inadequate licences. “We’re doing this for safety, and that’s it. We just want people to stop dying on the road,” said organizer Steve Bourgeois in a video posted on the group’s Facebook page Sunday. He stressed they will not fully block any roads or bridges. He said another protest action could take place Oct. 6. Quebec’s auto insurance board (SAAQ) says it’s preparing a new legal framework. The city of Ottawa has also taken precautions in case the truck drivers roll across the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge and into Lowertown. Police training The SPAL said on Friday it is planning a simulation Monday evening to train its officers. A stretch of Bourassa, Jean-Béliveau, and Front streets will be closed to the public. With files from CTV News Montreal’s Stephane Giroux and CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Pringle
