Metro and bus services in Quebec may be limited to rush hour only for the majority of November, as ruled by the labor tribunal on Wednesday. The Syndicat du transport de Montréal, representing 2,400 maintenance workers at the Société de transport de Montréal (STM), has declared a planned strike lasting four weeks starting Friday, October 31 at 10 p.m. This strike, longer than the previous two, is scheduled to continue until November 28 at 10 p.m.
Despite STM’s request for regular service on Sunday, November 2, for the municipal election, the tribunal’s decision on Wednesday did not grant any exceptions. The ruling stated that the strike did not pose a threat to public health or safety during the election, as citizens could easily access the 450 polling stations within walking distance from their homes.
Authorized by the tribunal, the strike will span four weeks, with only rush-hour services operational throughout. Paratransit services, however, will be fully maintained. Buses will operate during the strike from 6:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., while night bus services will run from 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. Metro services will run from 6:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. to 5:50 p.m., with night Metro service available from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
In response to the strike, Bruno Jeannotte, the union president, expressed the union’s commitment to reaching an agreement to avoid the strike’s potential major impact. The STM and the SCFP 1983, the drivers’ union, have also been involved in strike notices that could affect bus and Metro services on specific dates in November. Commuters are advised to stay informed about schedule changes by regularly checking the STM website.