Seaway reopens as tentative deal reached

Cargo ships anchored in the Great Lakes will be able to get under way soon as the St. Lawrence Seaway and UNIFOR announced late Sunday a tentative agreement has been reached to end the week-long strike – and to reopen the Seaway effective Monday morning.

The  agreement will still have to be ratified by the 360 employees in Quebec and Ontario but in the meantime, employees will return to work and start passing ships through starting Monday October 30th at 7 a.m. Details of the new agreement were not released.

“We have in hand an agreement that’s fair for workers and secures a strong and  stable  future for the Seaway,” said SLSMC president and CEO Terence Bowles, in a release.  “We know that this strike has not been easy for anyone, and value the patience and cooperation of our marine industry.”

“For the first time in 55 years seaway workers took the very hard decision to go on strike. They did so to fight for a more respectful workplace and for an agreement that reflects today’s economic times,” said Lana Payne, Unifor National President in the union’s statement. “They have shown that the best deal is reached at the bargaining table, and I congratulate the committee on their outstanding work on behalf of their members.”

The tentative agreement covers Unifor members at Locals 4211, 4212 and 4323 in Ontario and Locals 4319 and 4320 in Quebec, who work in the supervisory and engineering group and the maintenance, operations, and clerical group.

A vote on the new deal will be scheduled “in the coming days,” says Unifor.