(Reuters) – Canadian Labor Minister Steve MacKinnon on Tuesday proposed appointing a special mediator for 90 days in connection with a strike by Montreal port workers.
According to a post on X, MacKinnon said there would be no strike or lockout during the deadline negotiation period.
Talks between the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and the Montreal longshoremen’s union remain deadlocked over wages.
The parties will have to submit their responses to the Ministry of Labor no later than Friday, October 18, the MEA said in a statement.
The strike affected the Viau and Maisonneuve terminals, which handle approximately 40% of the port’s container traffic.
The Montreal Longshoremen’s Union did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.