Dear Customers & Partners,
On Sunday, the St. Lawrence Seaway ceased its shipping operations due to a strike by 361 unionized workers, causing a disruption in Canada's vital transportation networks. These workers, who are members of Unifor, initiated the strike just after midnight on Sunday morning following unsuccessful negotiations. The main point of contention in the dispute between the union and their employer, St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. (SLSMC), revolves around wage issues, although specific wage proposals have not been publicly disclosed.
The strike has had the effect of stopping the movement of ships through a chain of 15 locks that connect the Port of Montreal to the Welland Canal, a crucial link between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. SLSMC has stated that cargo vessels already within the Seaway were cleared during the 72-hour notice period leading up to the strike. However, it has been reported that as of Sunday morning, there were "over 100 vessels" waiting outside the two endpoints of the system, all of which are impacted by the strike situation.
Important: The present strike should not affect the container traffic coming from Europe. The strike involves domestic traffic from the port of Montreal to the Great Lakes.
We continue to monitor the situation closely.
Best regards,
DCS Canada Team
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