Quebec Government Takes Action Against STM Strike
Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet is preparing to introduce emergency legislation that would force striking STM workers back to their jobs, according to reports from Journal de Montréal and Radio-Canada. The move comes as Montreal's public transit system continues to operate with significant service reductions affecting hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.
Accelerated Timeline for Labour Law
The provincial government plans to table a new bill on Wednesday that would move up the implementation date of Law 14, originally passed this spring as Bill 89. This legislation grants the labour minister the authority to issue back-to-work orders without requiring special legislation for each case. However, the law wasn't scheduled to take effect until November 30.
Boulet's office intends to push the bill through an accelerated legislative timeline, effectively bypassing the original implementation date. The Gazette has reached out to Boulet's office for comment on the impending legislation.
Union Opposition and Constitutional Concerns
Both STM unions currently on strike – representing maintenance workers as well as bus and métro operators – have strongly criticized the pending legislation. Union leaders argue that the back-to-work order undermines their constitutionally protected right to strike and removes any incentive for the employer to negotiate in good faith.
The unions maintain that the legislation represents an overreach of government power and fundamentally weakens workers' bargaining position. They contend that by having the ability to force employees back to work, the STM management loses motivation to address the workers' concerns at the bargaining table.
Current Transit Service and Future Disruptions
During the maintenance workers' strike from November 2-28, the STM is operating with severely reduced service limited to rush hours only:
- Buses: 6:15–9:15 a.m, 3–6 p.m, 11:15 p.m.–1:15 a.m.
- Métro: 6:30–9:30 a.m, 2:45–5:45 p.m, 11 p.m.–close
More disruption looms on the horizon, as bus and métro operators have announced plans for two additional full shutdown strike days on November 15 and 16 if no agreement is reached. This would completely halt Montreal's public transit system during those dates.
The STM operates one of North America's largest public transit systems, with 1,849 buses and 999 métro cars across 223 routes and 68 stations. The system typically handles approximately 315 million passenger trips annually, making the current strike one of the most significant disruptions to Montreal's transportation network in recent years.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides preparing for what could be a decisive week in the labour dispute that has paralyzed much of Montreal's public transportation system.
