Montreal Gateway Terminals (MGT) has signed a new collective bargaining agreement with its unionized clerical workforce, bringing an end to a five-month labor dispute at the Port of Montreal.
The agreement was confirmed by the terminal operator in a statement, which indicated that a new contract had been signed with Local 4317 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Details of the agreement were not publicly disclosed.
The strike began in September after negotiations between the two sides broke down during mediation and conciliation discussions. A total of 32 transportation agents employed at MGT’s Cast and Racine terminals took part in the labor action.
The previous four-year contract expired at the end of 2024, with disagreements emerging over minimum staffing requirements at the terminals.
Under the earlier agreement, MGT was required to maintain a specified number of transportation agents on duty at all times — including weekends, holidays and periods when no vessels were being handled.
According to logistics company Kuehne + Nagel, the newly signed agreement will run for eight years and is expected to allow operations to progressively return to normal.
This includes the gradual reinstatement of standard truck gate schedules, typically operating up to 17 hours per day.
During the strike, vessel operations continued despite the absence of clerical staff. Management temporarily assumed several administrative responsibilities in order to maintain cargo handling activities at the terminals.
However, the dispute created operational challenges for logistics providers relying on the port’s container facilities.
The Port of Montreal remains one of Canada’s most important trade gateways, connecting North American markets with Europe and global shipping routes.
Industry observers note that labor stability at major ports remains critical for maintaining reliable supply chains — an issue closely monitored by freight forwarding communities and logistics networks worldwide.
