Société de transport de Montréal (STM) maintenance workers are expected to strike from June 9 to 17, potentially affecting traffic across the island. The STM said school routes and shuttle buses for planned outings should operate as usual. Between June 9 and 11, buses will only run during peak hours: from 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and from 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. There will be no bus service outside these hours. The Metro will only run from 6:30 a.m. to 9:38 a.m., between 2:45 p.m. and 5:48 p.m., and from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on those days. On June 12, 16 and 17, the STM says it will operate at 50 per cent capacity. Metro service will run at half the usual frequency, and roughly half of all bus trips will be cancelled. There should be regular service between June 13 and 15 to serve the public during the Grand Prix weekend, before strike hours come back into effect June 16 and 17. Commuters can check metro and bus schedules online. More than 1 million people use Montreal’s public transit network every day, according to the STM, which can lead to other delays and overcrowding. Negotiations ongoing The STM said it is in “regular contact” with the union as meetings are ongoing. The next is scheduled for Wednesday. “We hope to resolve this conflict as soon as possible, which is why we proposed on May 29 to involve a facilitator—a step that could help find solutions and speed up the pace of discussions," spokesperson Kevin Bilodeau said in a statement to CTV News. President Bruno Jeannotte says the union is ready to end the strike if a good deal is put on the table. The STM’s 2,400 maintenance workers have been in negotiations for over a year. The union wants the STM to scale back outsourcing and subcontracting, and to end atypical schedules on evenings, nights and weekends. The transit agency says it needs to subcontract some maintenance work and cut overtime hours because of costs. Earlier this week, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said labour dispute is one symptom of a larger struggle to fund public transit and pointed to Quebec’s latest budget as proof. “Though we want to offer good conditions to all workers… there’s a dark cloud on top of us regarding how we share the financial aspect of public transport,” she said. ‘Enhanced’ BIXI service & car sharing BIXI Montreal says it will have “enhanced” service during the strike as up to 25 drop-off stations will be set up in high-traffic areas. Teams will be on-site at these stations from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Communauto said it’s working to have as many of its vehicles in service as possible, and may encourage users to carpool. The car-sharing company has a fleet of about 4,500 vehicles in Montreal. “We can certainly help, but this situation shows how essential public transit is in a city, and that car sharing is a complement, not a substitute, for public transit,” said Marco Viviani, vice-president for strategic development of Communauto, in a statement. Encouraging flexibility In a note to community members, McGill University acknowledges that “commuting to campus may become challenging.” All the same, the university says it encourages flexibility, including allowing staff to work from home or find alternative solutions with their managers. “Students should flag, as early as possible, any accommodations that might be needed or issues otherwise arising as a result of STM service disruption,” the note concludes. Concordia University said it’s up to employees and students to find what works for them, and there are fewer students on campus during the summer session. Student attendance ‘essential’ School boards and centres have stated that they will not make exceptions for exams on strike days. The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) sent a note to parents with the STM schedule, stating that students must be present for all exams and are responsible for arriving on time. The Centre de services scolaire de Montréal said the same. “Parents will be reminded of this important time of the school year for student success,” it said in a statement. “This strike coincides with the exam period. Student attendance and adherence to the scheduled timetable remain essential. It will therefore be important to plan for alternative transport and allow more time than usual for the journey.” The president of the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec, Katherine Korakakis, said parents are worried. She said that when it comes to exams, some of which are worth 50 per cent of final grades, students cannot show up late or retake their tests. Korakakis said parents are being left to mitigate the effects of the strike. “Not everybody has a car, not everybody can leave work early or arrive late at work ... there’s a lot at stake,” said Korakakis. She said she hopes the STM and its workers come to an agreement soon and put an end to the strike. Westmount High In a statement sent to parents and students, and reviewed by CTV News, Westmount High School stated that it aims to accommodate the strike schedule, adding that it will hold all final exams in the morning next week to ensure that students who rely on public transit can attend. The change will not apply to pre-scheduled science labs and French oral exams, which were scheduled by appointment. The school is encouraging students to arrive early to avoid missing assignments and to make alternative transportation arrangements with their parents if necessary. The library will remain open in the afternoon, as well as the gym. Teachers will be advising students on afternoon tutorials. “We recognize that this situation may cause inconvenience and appreciate your continued support and cooperation in helping our students successfully complete their exams,” the school notes. With files from CTV News’ Swidda Rassy, Anastasia Dextrene and The Canadian Press.
