STM Experts Endorse December 31 Agreement
The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has successfully concluded a tentative agreement following a notable overtime strike involving approximately 800 professionals. This development came after long-standing negotiations that lasted over a year.
Details of the Tentative Agreement
On Thursday, the professionals’ union, a local branch of the Syndicat des employé(e)s professionnel(le)s et de bureau (SEPB), announced significant member support for the agreement reached on December 31. A remarkable 91 percent of the union’s members voted in favor, with an 86 percent participation rate.
Key Benefits of the Agreement
According to Marc Glogowski, the local union president, this agreement brings several advantages:
- Enhanced job security for members
- Term limits on subcontracting to protect professionals
- Maintenance of existing benefits
- Increased flexibility with work hour arrangements
- A substantial wage increase of 16.5 percent over 4.5 years
This agreement also encompasses various monetary and regulatory improvements for the professionals, including engineers, architects, analysts, and IT consultants.
Context of the Overtime Strike
The strike commenced on December 17, prior to the agreement being reached. It aimed to highlight the professionals’ demands during the lengthy negotiation period.
STM’s Union Agreements
In addition to the professionals’ union agreement, the STM has finalized accords with other unions. This includes:
- The union representing 4,500 bus drivers and metro operators
- The union of 1,300 administrative and technical employees
Both of these unions are affiliated with the FTQ, a major labor federation in Quebec.
Challenges Ahead
Despite these agreements, challenges remain. Another ongoing overtime strike involves 2,400 STM maintenance workers affiliated with the CSN. This group is still in negotiations without a current agreement.
The STM continues to work towards resolving outstanding issues with all unionized staff to ensure a stable working environment moving forward.
