Catherwood LibraryILR School

Workers at the St. Lawrence seaway in Canada went on strike on Sunday, as an agreement couldn’t be reached before the strike deadline. Montreal and Lake Erie shipments experienced delays and were the most affected by the strike action. A majority of striking workers are represented by the union Unifor, and Unifor stated that it is seeking higher wage increases than the current proposed increases. The union also stated that port employees require intense training, and take on various safety and health risks on the job. Other seaway employees, such as engineers and administrators, are represented by four other unions, and these unions are also involved in contract negotiations with the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation countered that the demanded wage increases were too large, and would affect the efficiency and reliability of the seaway.