Deal reached to reopen strike-hit Montreal port

The Port of Montreal is expected to resume operations tomorrow after locked-out longshoremen and their employer hammered out a pact late last night to reopen the port, according to Postmedia News.

The parties met in Montreal, aided by mediators appointed by the federal government earlier in contract negotiations.

Daniel Tremblay, president of CUPE Local 375, the Longshoremen's Union, said the city's longshoremen and women would resume work on July 24. Union members vote on the tentative agreement today, but Tremblay said he is confident it will pass.

The deal reinstates dock workers recently removed from the revenue guarantee programme and sets the deadline to negotiate a new collective agreement for October 2010.

The main issue still on the table is the revenue guarantee enjoyed by dock workers.

"When the discussions ended, both (parties) agreed that the issue was to try to find a way to reduce (the cost of) the revenue security programme and the job security programme," Corriveau said.

Intensive negotiations with mediators will resume on Monday.
(Source:www.cargonewsasia.com)