On Sunday, the union representing longshoremen at the Port of Montreal (i.e., CUPE) announced that union members overwhelmingly rejected the most recent offer from the Maritime Employers Association (MEA). A CUPE spokesperson said that longshore workers would like to return to the bargaining table, and the union is not calling for a strike at this time.

Negotiations between the CUPE and MEA have been ongoing since the last agreement expired in 2018. Last August, a work stoppage caused congestion and back-ups lasting over two months. A seven-month truce ended the August strike, but it expired on Sunday.

If labor actions are taken, shippers will experience significant delays, and carriers could divert vessels to other ports. Deringer will continue to provide updates on the developing contract talks at the Port of Montreal.