Quebec ferry workers' negotiations have broken off

Quebec ferry workers will be on strike until Thursday at least, as union members mull over the province's final offer in the following days.

• Quebec ferry passengers struggle to deal with strike action

Talks broke down this afternoon, after theSocit des traversiers du Qubec (STQ) tabled anoffer.

The STQemployssome 150 ferrynavigation officers and mechanics.

Workers represented by theMtallosunion, who'vebeen on strike since Tuesday, areaskinghigher pay and increased parental and retirement benefits.

But the employer says the union continues to increase its demands.

"It's impossible to negotiate with the Mtallos union if at each new meeting they up their demands," said the head of the STQ, Joceyln Fortier.

"We've asked the union several times to show empathy for the population of the regions of Quebec and in Sorel-Tracy, where people depend on our service, in asking them to ensure a minimum service at peak hours," he said.

"We can't accept that the population is being held hostage."

According to the Mtallos union, the STQ handed over its "final offer" and then walked away from the table on Saturday.

Union members will vote on the offer at their general assemblies in the following days, which means the strike will last until Thursday at least.

Until then, the union says ferry service will remain cancelled inLvis and Sorel-Tracy.

The strike is affecting the following ferry services:

• Complete cancellation of service betweenLvisand Quebec City.
• Complete cancellationof service betweenSorel-TracyandSaint-Ignace-de-Loyola.
• Reduce service between Isle-aux-Coudres-St-Joseph-de-la-Rive and Matane-Baie-Comeau-Godbout.
• Reduced service Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-CatherineSaguenay River crossing.