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Striking blue-collar workers shut down a major traffic artery in Montreal on Thursday during the morning commute.
They blocked Sherbrooke Street East in both directions between Pie-IX Boulevard and Viau Street.
The demonstration is part of the workers’ three-day strike, which began Wednesday at 6 a.m. ET and will end at 6 a.m. on Saturday.
The workers’ blockade disrupted morning bus service in the area surrounding the Olympic Park and Maisonneuve Park, according to Kevin Bilodeau, a spokesperson for the STM, Montreal’s public transit agency.
Shortly after 8 a.m., the demonstrators started moving toward Faubourgs Park at the foot of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Riot police from the Sûreté du Québec and the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal were also stationed there, blocking protesters’ access to the bridge.
Jean-Pierre Lauzon, president of CUPE 301 — the Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal — said in a news release published Wednesday that the rally shows members’ solidarity with their bargaining committee.
“Negotiations have reached an impasse due to the City of Montreal’s inflexibility regarding its financial framework,” Lauzon said. “Workers are facing a persistent cost-of-living crisis and are not prepared to become even poorer.”
The union also noted that the workers’ collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2024, and that their strike follows nearly 50 rounds of negotiations and mediation.
While it remains unclear how long the blockade will last, police are at the scene re-directing traffic.
Meanwhile, the City of Montreal is advising residents to visit its website for information on how their borough may be affected by the blue-collar workers’ strike this week.
Blue-collar workers shut down Sherbrooke St. at Pie-IX, on the second day of their three-day strike. (Simon-Marc Charron/Radio-Canada)