Longshoremen at Montreal port overwhelmingly reject employer's offer

Longshoremen working at the Port of Montreal overwhelmingly rejected their employer's offer in a vote that followed months of talks over the renewal of their collective agreement.

The longshoremen's union affiliated with the Canadian Union of Public Employees voted 99.7 per cent to reject the offer by the Maritime Employers Association.

The union said 91 per cent of the union's 1,125 members participated in the vote.

The union representing the longshoremen have recently concluded a seven-month truce with the employer following a 10-day strike. That agreement expired March 20.

Talks stumbled last year mainly over the issue of working hours.

The collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2018.