Montreal’s municipal government and the province’s blue‑collar workers’ union announced on Tuesday that they have entered conciliation talks after the union submitted a one‑week strike notice covering September 22 through September 28. The discussions aim to reach an agreement that would avoid the planned work stoppage, which would have affected city services for a full week.
The union filed its notice on September 2, citing stalled negotiations with city officials as the reason for moving toward industrial action. By filing the notice, the union triggered a legal requirement that both parties engage in a conciliation process before any strike can proceed. City representatives confirmed that they have agreed to participate in the mandated talks, emphasizing a shared interest in maintaining continuity of municipal operations.
The potential strike would have involved a range of blue‑collar employees who provide essential services, though specific job categories were not detailed in the filing. A week‑long interruption could have impacted everything from waste collection to road maintenance, prompting city leaders to stress the importance of a swift resolution.
Both sides have expressed a willingness to negotiate, with the city indicating it will present its proposals during the conciliation sessions. The union, for its part, has not disclosed any specific demands in the public filing, but the filing itself underscores the seriousness of the dispute and the urgency of finding common ground before the September 22 deadline.
If the conciliation process yields an agreement, the strike would be called off and municipal services would continue without disruption. Should talks fail, the strike is set to proceed as scheduled, marking the first citywide work stoppage of this scale in recent years. The outcome of the negotiations will be closely watched by residents and local businesses that rely on uninterrupted city services.
The conciliation period is expected to last several days, after which a decision will be made on whether to lift the strike notice or proceed with the planned action.
The city has not provided a timeline for when a final resolution might be reached, but both parties have indicated that they will aim to settle the matter before the strike date to prevent the week‑long work stoppage from taking effect.