STM union rejects offer, transit disruptions set to begin Monday

STM maintenance workers are threatening to strike next week over pay demands, a move that could leave Montrealers facing reduced bus and metro service.

Public transit commuters in Montreal are bracing for service disruptions starting Monday, as ongoing labour negotiations between the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and the union representing maintenance workers remain at a standstill.

At a press conference on Friday, STM officials said they submitted a “global offer” covering “a majority of normative clauses related to work” to the Syndicat du transport de Montréal-CSN, but the proposal was rejected.

According to the STM, the union’s current demands would result in a $300 million increase in the transit agency’s budget over the next five years - roughly $60 million a year.

The head of public relations at the STM, Katherine Roux Groleau, says the number exceeds their financial framework and would force the transportation to cut back bus services by 10 per cent.

“I want to be clear, we are not going to be cutting bus services or even metro services to fund monetary demands,” said Roux Groleau.

Dispute over salary increases

Maintenance workers are seeking a 25 per cent raise over the next five years, while the STM is offering 12.5 per cent.

In a news release, the union’s president, Bruno Jeannotte, criticized the STM’s stance.

“The STM wants to have its cake and eat it too. They want to force us to make concessions without paying any money on the table. There’s money when it comes to giving more to senior management, but not for those who maintain the infrastructure,” said Jeannotte.

He adds that the union will not tolerate a deal that allows subcontracting to “run rampant.”

Negotiations have been dragging on for more than a year. The last time workers walked off the job was in June.

The union represents 2,400 maintenance workers.

Service disruptions begin Monday

If no agreement is reached, service disruptions will begin Monday and will run until Oct. 5. They will look a bit different from the STM workers’ last strike.

• READ MORE: STM warns of major service cuts as second maintenance strike looms

Maintenance workers will refuse to work overtime, and there will be service interruptions on the metro and bus routes outside of rush hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

The parties have not scheduled any further negotiations between now and Monday morning, making the strike from Sept. 22 to Oct. 5 appear inevitable.

Discussions will continue in mediation next week.

The STM’s executive director suggests that users plan their trips carefully to avoid any unpleasant surprises, given the specific hours of essential services.

Commuters can consult the STM’s website.

Information will also be available in metro stations, and additional staff have been added.

Concern for seniors

Patients’ rights advocate Paul Brunet says he is concerned for seniors who rely on public transit.

“More or less 200,000 elders in Montreal work or go for medical appointments [using] the bus and metro,” said Brunet.

The STM handles 1.1 million trips per day. It operates a fleet of 1,849 buses and 999 metro cars. Its metro network consists of 68 stations, and its bus network has 223 routes.

With files from The Canadian Press