STM Service Resumes, Bringing Relief to Montreal Commuters
Commuters across Montreal expressed widespread relief on Wednesday morning as bus and métro service gradually returned following the suspension of a strike by maintenance workers. The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) began restoring operations after the union representing maintenance staff announced late Tuesday that it would call off the industrial action, effective 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Return to Service Not Immediate
While the resumption of service marked a significant step forward, the STM cautioned that a return to full, regular service levels would not be immediate. The transit agency needed time to ramp operations back up across its entire network. This news came as a mixed blessing for the thousands of Montrealers who rely on public transit for their daily commutes.
The impact of the strike's suspension was felt immediately. Manuela Cavalcanti, waiting at Rosemont station, shared her relief, stating, "I can work my usual hours." During the strike, she had been forced to alter her work schedule drastically to fit within the constrained transit service hours, relying on friends for evening rides and cancelling personal plans.
Commuters Adapt to Service Disruption
Other commuters recounted similar challenges. Maryse Lefevre explained that the work stoppage had compelled her to "completely rearrange my work," and she voiced her feeling of being "relieved" that the maintenance workers' walkout was over. Not everyone, however, was severely impacted. One commuter, Julie, who declined to give her last name, opted to use her car during the shutdown, though she noted it contributed to increased road traffic. Another, Arthur Aquin, said the strike hadn't affected him "at all" as he typically bikes everywhere, only using the métro while his bicycle was being fitted with winter tires.
Despite the general sense of relief, one unnamed commuter expressed a more complex view, feeling "a bit sad" about the end of the walkout. She argued that the STM and government had "instrumentalized" the suffering of transit users to pressure workers. With the union calling off the strike ahead of a potential intervention from Quebec's labour minister, she feared the move "will roll back workers' rights."
Potential for Weekend Transit Shutdown Looms
The reprieve for commuters may be short-lived. The transit agency’s bus and métro operators still plan to strike this Saturday and Sunday, a move that could bring the entire transit system to a complete standstill. This action is pending approval from the province’s labour tribunal.
In response to the ongoing labour disputes, Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet announced plans to table legislation on Wednesday to bring Bill 89 into force ahead of its scheduled November 30 implementation. In a post on the social media platform X, Boulet stated that this legislation remained necessary to restrict the planned bus and métro operators’ strike over the coming weekend. The bill would grant the minister expanded powers to intervene in labour conflicts.
