Last-Minute Deal Prevents STM Administrative Strike
A scheduled walkout that threatened to disrupt operations at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has been successfully averted. The transit authority reached a tentative agreement with the union representing its 1,300 administrative staff on Sunday, November 17, just days before the strike was set to begin on November 19.
The Syndicat du personnel administratif, technique et professionnel du transport en commun (SCFP 2850) confirmed that its members would not be proceeding with the planned job action. This union represents workers in critical support roles within the STM, including human resources, intelligent technology systems, and accounting divisions.
Details of the Agreement and Next Steps
While the specific terms of the tentative agreement have not been made public, the deal must now undergo a two-step approval process. It will be submitted for review and ratification by both the STM's board of directors and the union's rank-and-file membership.
This development comes during a period of intense labour negotiations for the public transit corporation. The STM is currently engaged in talks with several different unions representing its diverse workforce.
A Broader Context of Labour Relations
The agreement with the administrative staff is the latest in a series of last-minute resolutions that have prevented widespread service disruptions. Recently, a separate 48-hour strike by bus and métro workers was also avoided when a deal was struck just before the deadline.
Meanwhile, the union representing STM maintenance workers has announced a pause in its own 28-day strike to continue negotiations with the transit authority. This indicates a concerted effort from all parties to find common ground and avoid prolonged labour disputes that would significantly impact the hundreds of thousands of Montrealers who rely on public transit daily.
