Montreal’s public transit system faces a temporary shutdown this weekend as the union representing drivers, Metro operators, and station agents plans a 24-hour strike starting at 4 a.m. on Saturday and ending just before 4 a.m. on Sunday. The Quebec labour tribunal has approved this strike, ruling it poses no health or safety risks, with no requests for increased service levels from relevant agencies.
Despite a request from Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) to maintain the 747 bus line during the strike, the request was denied. Adapted transport services will continue operating in full, with the union committing to providing necessary personnel in case of emergencies.
In addition to this strike, the Syndicat des chauffeurs, opérateurs et employés des services connexes (SCFP 1983) has filed a strike notice that could impact bus and Metro services on November 15 and 16, pending approval. The STM plans to hold a news conference on Friday morning to update the public about the upcoming strikes.
Furthermore, a month-long strike by the Syndicat du transport de Montréal, representing 2,400 maintenance employees at the STM, will commence at 10 p.m. on Friday. This strike, the third this year, will only maintain rush-hour service for the entire month of November, with paratransit services unaffected.
Unless a deal is reached before the deadline, normal bus hours will be limited to 6:15-9:15 a.m. and 3-6 p.m., with night service from 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. Metro service will run from 6:30-9:40 a.m. and 2:45-5:50 p.m., with night service from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The strike is scheduled to last until 10 p.m. on November 28.